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THE FIRST BOOK IN 
UNITED STATES 
HISTORY 


BY 


WADDY THOMPSON 

M 

AUTHOR OF 


“a primary history of the united states” 
“a history of the united states” and 
“a history of the people of 

THE UNITED STATES ” 


REVISED 


D. C. HEATH AND COMPANY 

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO 

ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO DALLAS 
LONDON 



"C-X'vfc 

• \ 

A z °l 


Copyright, 1929, 

By D. C. Heath & Co. 

2 B 9 




©CIA 5421 


PREFACE 


The value of biography in teaching history to young pupils is 
well recognized. The personal, or human, element that this form 
of narration adds to the text arouses the interest that is essential 
to the study of history. Care should be taken, however, not to 
overemphasize biography lest the relative importance of the in¬ 
dividual and the event be misunderstood and lest the historical 
connection between events be lost. 

The biographies furnished in this text are abundant, and they 
have been selected because, taken together, they cover nearly all 
the events of the history of our country that the young pupil need 
know. Wherever biography is not available, or wherever it is 
advisable to emphasize the event rather than the individual or to 
preserve a closer connection between events, the author has resorted 
to the ordinary form of narration. In preparing the text he has 
used portions of his earlier work, A Primary History of the United 
States. 

When undertaken properly the study of history is not only very 
useful, but is a source of delight. If the pupil, in taking up the 
study for the first time, can see in it the wonderful story of people 
who have gone before him and builded that he might live the better, 
he will acquire a liking for history that will abide with him in 
after years. 

To give to the young people of America not only the advantages, 
but the pleasure, that may be found in the study of the history 
of their country is the purpose of the author. With the hope that 
his purpose will be fulfilled, this little book is sent forth on its 
mission. 














■ 



- 













' 

























CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. The World before America Was Discovered 

Life in the Old World. 

Trade with the East. 

“Prince Henry the Navigator”. 

II. Finding a New World. 

Columbus Discovers America. 

Cabot First Reaches the Mainland of America 

III. The People whom Europeans Found in America . 

IV. The Spaniards in America. 

The Rush of Gold Seekers. 

Ponce de Leon, Seeking the Fountain of Youth, Finds 

Florida .. 

Balboa, Seeking a Sea, Discovers the Pacific Ocean 
Magellan’s Ship Sails around the World 
De Soto, Seeking Gold, Discovers the Mississippi River 
Coronado’s Quest of the Seven Cities of Cibola . 

V. The Coming of the French. 

Why Other Europeans Followed the Spaniards to 

America. 

Admiral Coligny and His Huguenot Colony . 

Samuel de Champlain, “The Father of New France” . 

VI. The Coming of the English. 

Sir Francis Drake, who “Singed the King of Spain’s 

Beard”. 

Sir Walter Raleigh and His “Lost Colony” 

John Smith and the Virginia Colony 

VII. The Coming of the Dutch. 

Henry Hudson on the River that Bears His Name 
New Netherland and New Amsterdam 


PAGE 

i 

i 

6 

9 

12 

12 

22 

25 

28 

28 

28 

30 

32 

37 

41 

45 

45 

48 

5 i 

56 

56 

60 

65 

74 

74 

77 


v 







VI 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

VIII. The English in New England . . . .. . 79 

William Bradford and John Winthrop in Massachu¬ 
setts .79 

Thomas Hooker and His Congregation Seek Con¬ 
necticut .87 

Roger Williams Founds Rhode Island . . .91 

IX. Neighbors of Virginia .96 

Lord Baltimore and His Maryland Colony . . 96 

The Eight Lords Proprietors of Carolina . . .100 

Oglethorpe and the Georgia Colony . . . .104 


X. The Middle Colonies. no 

Peter Stuyvesant Surrenders New Netherland . no 
William Penn Founds Pennsylvania . . . . 115 


XI. In Old Colony Days .... 

Industrial and Commercial Conditions 
Social Life in Early Colonial Times . 
Relations with the Mother Country . 
Troubles with the Indians 


122 

122 

128 

134 

139 


XII. The French in America .... 

Marquette and La Salle on the Mississippi 
Iberville and Bienville in Louisiana . 


142 

142 

ISO 


XIII. 


Driving the French from America . 

George Washington, an Officer in the Virginia Militia 
Montcalm and Wolfe, Heroes of Quebec . 


159 

159 

169 


XIV. English Settlements Extend beyond the Alle 


GHANIES. 177 

The Western Country.177 

Daniel Boone and his Experiences in the West . 178 

XV. Later Colonial Times . . . . * . .185 

Growth of the Colonies.185 

The Unwise Course of Great Britain . . .188 

Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams, Forerunners of 

the Revolution.189 





CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

XVI. Armed Resistance to Great Britain 

George Washington, Commander of the American 

Army . . .. 

Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of 

Independence. 

Benjamin Franklin and the French Alliance . 

XVII. A Successful End to the Contest 

George Rogers Clark Holds the Illinois Country 
John Paul Jones, the Naval Hero of the Revolution 
The Partisan Bands of the South .... 
Westerners Win a Splendid Victory 
Surrender of Cornwallis . 

XVIII. Early Days of the Republic. 

The Constitution of the United States . 

George Washington, the First President 
Thomas Jefferson, and the Purchase of Louisiana . 

XIX. Protecting Our Rights. 

The Second Struggle with Great Britain 
Harrison and Perry, Heroes of the Northwest 
Andrew Jackson, the Hero of the Southwest . 

How We Gained Florida. 

The Monroe Doctrine. 

XX. Industrial Changes. 

The Use of Machinery. 

Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin .... 
Cyrus Hall McCormick and the Reaper 
Robert Fulton and the Steamboat 

The Coming of the Railroad. 

Samuel F. B. Morse and the Telegraph 
Elias Howe and the Sewing Machine 
The Cotton Gin and Sectionalism 

XXI. Winning the Far West. 

The Republic of Texas. 

The Story of Sam Houston. 

War with Mexico. 

Completing Our Boundaries. 


vii 

PAGE 

198 

I98 

208 

211 

217 

217 

219 

220 

225 

228 

232 

232 

235 

239 

245 

245 

246 

248 

2 53 

254 

257 

257 

259 

26l 

263 

266 

270 

272 

273 

276 

276 

277 

280 

283 









CONTENTS 


viii 


CHAPTER 

XXII. Progress of the American People . 

Growth of the Middle West 
Immigrants from the Old World . 

The Factory System and the Eastern Cities 
Andrew Jackson the “ People’s” President. 
The “Forty-niners”. 


PAGB 

286 

286 

292 

295 

296 
298 


XXIII. The North and the South Drift Apart . . 301 

Webster, Clay, and Calhoun, “The Great Trium¬ 
virate” .301 

Secession of the Southern States .... 307 

Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States . 308 
Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate 

States.315 


XXIV. The War of Secession.321 

Early Events of the Contest. 321 

Robert E. Lee, the Leading General of the South . 322 
Ulysses S. Grant, the Leading General of the 

North.. . . 328 

Grant and Lee Grapple.332 


XXV. An Era of Industrial Progress (1865-1920) 
Rapid Growth of the United States 
The North and the Middle West . 

Peopling the Far West. 

Building a “New South” .... 
Thomas A. Edison, “The American Magician” 
Alexander Graham Bell and the Telephone . 
The Wright Brothers Invent the Aeroplane . 
John Philip Holland Invents the Submarine . 
Other Important Inventions .... 


• 338 

• 338 

• 340 
- 34i 

• 344 

• 346 

• 350 

• 35i 

• 354 

• 355 


XXVI. How We Became a World Power . 
The Cruel Treatment of Cuba 
War with Spain . 

Our Colonial Possessions 
Cutting the Panama Canal . 


357 

357 

359 

362 

364 




CONTENTS 


IX 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XXVII. American Women.367 

Woman’s Part in Our History .... 368 
Hannah Dustin and Eliza Lucas, Colonial Hero¬ 
ines .371 

Molly Pitcher, Elizabeth Zane, and Nancy Hart, 

Heroines of the Revolution . . . -374 

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, 

Champions of Woman’s Suffrage . . -377 

Frances E. Willard, Leader of the Temperance 

Movement.380 

Clara Barton and the Red Cross.382 

XXVIII. The World War.386 

Before the United States Entered the War . . 386 
After the United States Entered the War . . 393 
The Treaty of Peace and the League of Nations . 399 

XXIX. Conquering the Air .405 

The Advance of Aviation.405 

Byrd Flies to the North Pole .... 406 
Lindbergh, “ The Lone Eagle ” . . . .411 

Other Achievements of Byrd . . . .418 

List of Presidents.4 2 3 

Date of Admission of the States.424 

Pronouncing Vocabulary.425 

Index. 4 2 7 
























. 













THE FIRST BOOK IN UNITED 
STATES HISTORY 

CHAPTER I 

THE WORLD BEFORE AMERICA WAS 
DISCOVERED 

Life in the Old World 

Four Hundred Years Ago. — A little more than four 
hundred years ago civilized people lived only in Europe, 
Asia, and the northern part of Africa. They did not 
know that there was such a country as America. 

Beginnings of Our History. — The history of the United 
States began long before America was discovered. The 
ancestors of most of the people of this country were immi¬ 
grants just as are the foreigners who seek our land to-day. 
They brought to the New World the knowledge that had 
been gained by thousands of years of civilization in the 
Old World; and they planted in their new homes many 
of the customs and laws of their old homes. 

What We Owe to the Old World. — Though we now 
have more knowledge and enjoy more conveniences than 
did the people who lived four or five hundred years ago, 
yet we owe much to the civilization that existed before 
America was known. In fact, for the origin of a great 


2 


BEFORE AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED 


part of that civilization we must go back to very ancient 
times. For instance, from the ancient Greeks we get the 
best art, from the ancient Romans we get government 
and laws, and from the ancient Hebrews we get Chris¬ 
tianity. Science was begun by the early Egyptians, 

banking by the Baby¬ 
lonians, and printing with 
type by the ancient Chi¬ 
nese. From ancient peo¬ 
ples has come some of 
our finest literature. 

The Classes that 
Ruled in Europe. — At 
the time of the discovery 
of America, Europe had 
made little advancement 
over ancient times. 
Many cruel customs still 
prevailed. 

Every country was 
ruled by a king. With 
few exceptions the kings 
were all powerful — 
they alone declared what 
should be the law and they compelled the people to obey. 

Next to the king came the nobility and clergy — the 
classes that owned most of the land. These two classes 
had great influence, not only on account of their wealth, 
but for other reasons. The nobility were regarded as 
superior by birth to the so-called common people; and 



A King of England 
Who ruled less than a hundred years 
before America was discovered 







LIFE IN THE OLD WORLD 


3 


the common people were made to do as the nobility 
wished. 

All the people of western Europe were Catholics. The 
clergy were revered because they were the priests of that 
faith and because they were the only class that had any 
learning. Few of the nobility could do more than 
barely read or write; the common people could do 
neither. 

The Merchants. — Another influential class was the 
merchants. When we speak of a merchant we usually 



Venetian Merchant Ships of the Fifteenth Century 


mean a man who keeps a store for selling to his neighbors, 
but in those days the merchant traveled from country to 
country to dispose of his wares. He often sailed in his 
own ship to near-by ports of Asia and Africa to get 
valuable cargoes which he would sell in Europe at a 
large profit. 

The Laboring Class. — The great mass of people were 
peasants who farmed the land. In most countries the 
peasant was a serf. A serf could not own land, but must 



4 


BEFORE AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED 


till it for its owner — usually a nobleman or the clergy. 
Without the consent of the owner he could not leave 
the land upon which he worked. Most of the crop that 
the serf raised went to the landlord. What was left 
was barely sufficient for himself and his family to live 
upon. Indeed, the serf had so few rights that he could 
not even marry without permission of the landlord. 



The Rights of Englishmen. — In England, the land 
from which the ancestors of most of the people of the 
United States came, there was more freedom than in 
other countries. The English had a charter which they 
had forced a king, many years before, to give them. The 
charter was intended to protect the rights of the people, 
and they called it the Magna Carta (Latin words meaning 
Great Charter). 

The English also had a parliament, composed of smaller 
landlords and citizens of the towns as well as noblemen 
and clergymen. This body, instead of the king, had the 
right to make laws and levy taxes. Yet, the kings of 



LIFE IN THE OLD WORLD 5 

England were still so strong that they were often able 
to ignore the Magna Carta and to control parliament. 

England was one of the few countries that had abolished 
serfdom, but the freeing of the English peasant had not 
helped his condition much. He was paid so little for his 
labor that he could not buy land, and he was not allowed 
to vote. 

A Promise of Better Things. — It must not be thought, 
however, that the times were altogether bad. There 
were kings who ruled wisely; there were noblemen who 
had the interests of the people at heart; and many of 
the clergy nursed the sick, cared for the poor, and gave 
shelter in their monasteries to the distressed. 

Already there had been going on in Europe for more 
than a century a movement that was improving conditions. 
This movement is known by the French word, Renais¬ 
sance, meaning “ new birth,” because it put such a new 
spirit into the world that it seemed as if men were born 
again. It grew out of the desire of Europeans for greater 
knowledge. Not only did Europeans wish to know more 
about literature, art, and science, but they wished to know 
more about the problems of life. The Renaissance was 
the beginning of the spread of learning, and learning was 
making the minds and hearts of men better. 

The Desire for Exploration. — As a part of the broaden¬ 
ing of their minds that the Renaissance had brought 
about, men began to travel more. Visits to other 
countries made them wish to explore unknown lands, 
and most of the land of the world was unknown then. 
The desire for exploration led to the discovery of America. 


6 


BEFORE AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED 


Trade with the East 

The Center of Commerce. — The trade most valuable 
to Europe came from the eastern part of Asia, called 
India. The easiest way then known to get this trade 
to Europe was across the Mediterranean Sea. Con¬ 
sequently, this sea was the center of commerce, and 
Europeans were accustomed to sail upon it. 

Though for many hundreds of years European mer¬ 
chants had traded with the people of eastern Asia, they 
had learned little about that distant land. Most of the 
people in Asia did not wish strangers to enter then- 
country. They brought their wares to cities on the 
Asiatic and African shores of the Mediterranean Sea and 
there traded with Europeans. 

Traders from the East did not know much about the 
sea and sailing. They usually traveled overland much of 
the way to reach the Mediterranean. They loaded their 
goods on the backs of camels, and made the journey in 
large parties called caravans. 

Merchants of Venice and Genoa Do Most of the Trad¬ 
ing. — European merchants bought from the caravans 
silk and cotton cloths, pepper, nutmegs and other spices, 
ivory, gold and silver, and precious stones. Most of the 
trading with the caravans from the East was done by 
merchants from the Italian cities of Venice and Genoa. 

Stories of Marvelous Riches in the East. — When the 
European merchants and the men from the East met to 
trade, they talked about the countries from which they 
came; and the Eastern men told wonderful stories of 


TRADE WITH THE EAST 7 

the wealth of their land in gold and silver and sparkling 
gems. 

The few Europeans who succeeded in making visits 
to India came back with even more wonderful stories. 
They described great cities where people dressed in cloth 
of gold and in finest furs, and lived in palaces built of 



marble, with roofs, floors, and pillars made of gold. In 
these wonderful palaces guests sat in chairs of solid silver. 

They said also that the beds of the rivers were covered 
with gold, that in one place there was a mountain of 
turquoise, and that there were islands rich in diamonds, 
rubies, pearls, and spices of all kinds. 

It was not hard in those days for people to believe in 
almost any kind of marvelous story. When Europeans 
heard these tales about India, they became even more 
eager to go into that country and get some of its riches. 











8 


BEFORE AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED 


Why a Water Route to India was Needed.—The 

Turks, a wild race from the interior of Asia, began 
to conquer the lands through which the caravans came. 
This made it very hard for Europeans to keep up their 
trade with that country. Europeans then began to dis¬ 
cuss whether a way to India could be found by following 
the Atlantic Ocean around Africa. 

The People Very Ignorant of Geography. — So little 
of the world was known at that time that most persons 
did not believe that such a thing as sailing around Africa 
could be done. 

Seamen did not mind sailing the Mediterranean Sea 
where they could keep near the land, but they were 
unwilling to go any great distance out on the Atlantic 
Ocean, which they called the “ Sea of Darkness.” Most 
persons believed that the earth was flat. They feared 
that the ocean might have no end, and that if they sailed 
very far they might not be able to return. Besides, 
they thought that the ocean was filled with monsters 
that would devour sailors who ventured too far on its 
waters. 

Bold seamen had steered a little way down the Atlantic 
coast of Africa, but had always kept close to the shore. 
They had not ventured farther because it was the common 
belief that the equator was so hot that the water there 
boiled. And, they reasoned, even if one could cross the 
equator, a land of terror might lie beyond. 

It was generally believed that Africa was joined to some 
unknown land in the southern part of the world, and that, 
therefore, a ship could not sail around it to India. Does 


PRINCE HENRY, THE NAVIGATOR 


9 


it not 9eem strange that people could ever have been so 
ignorant of geography? 

“Prince Henry, the Navigator” 

A Portuguese Prince Starts Exploring. — At that time 
there were very few men besides kings who were rich 
enough to fit out fleets for long voyages. A prince named 
Henry, son of the king of 
Portugal, became very much 
interested in finding a water 
route to India. He thought 
it would be a great thing to 
teach the Christian religion 
to the heathen, and at the 
same time to encourage trade 
with the East. He therefore 
decided to spend his money 
in sending out ships to ex¬ 
plore the coast of Africa. 

On the coast of Portugal, 
on a high point of land that 
juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, Prince Henry built an 
observatory. There he studied the stars and consulted 
maps and charts. There he kept a light burning to guide 
his ships on their return. 

The Portuguese Cross the Equator. — For forty years 
Portuguese ships sent out by the prince explored the coast 
of Africa, each going farther south than the one before it. 
But the noble prince died before any of his ships had 
reached the equator. 



Prince Henry, the Navigator 






10 


BEFORE AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED 



Prince Henry had inspired the Portuguese with such 
a spirit of discovery that his work did not stop with his 
death. His countrymen sailed their ships farther and 
farther down the coast of Africa, until in 1471 a Portu¬ 
guese ship finally crossed the equator. 


The Portuguese Route to India 

The broken lines show the old trade routes to the East. The solid line shows 
the new Portuguese route 

The Value of Prince Henry’s Work. — We should 
always honor the memory of this wise and enterpris¬ 
ing prince, for he began the explorations that brought 
about the discovery of America. So earnest was he in 
this work that he is rightly called “ Prince Henry, the 
Navigator.” 







QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


II 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Where did all civilized people live a little more than four hundred 
years ago? 2. How did our history begin before the discovery of 
America? 3. What do we owe to the Old World? 4. Tell about 
the kings, the nobles, and the clergy of Europe at the time America 
was discovered. 5. Tell about the merchants; the serfs. 6. How 
was there more freedom in England than in other countries? 7. Tell 
all you can about the Renaissance. 8. How did the Renaissance lead 
to the discovery of America ? 

9. Tell how the people traded in those days with the East. 10. 
What did Europeans buy from India? n. What did the merchants 
from India tell about their country? What did the travelers tell? 
12. Why did not European traders go overland to India? 13. Why 
were sailors afraid to take long voyages on the ocean? 

14. Tell about “Prince Henry, the Navigator.” 15. Why should 
we honor the memory of this prince ? 



Dangers of the “ Sea of Darkness ” 

From an old picture 






CHAPTER II 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 

Columbus Discovers America 

Boyhood of Columbus. — Soon after the Portuguese 
began their explorations down the African coast, there 
was born in or near the city of Genoa a boy who became 
one of the greatest of all explorers. His name was 
Christopher Columbus. 

The father of Columbus earned his living by weaving 
woolen cloth. He sent Columbus to school for a while, 
Later he put the boy to work at his own trade, but the lad 
did not like this work. He must have spent his spare 
hours studying geography, as far as it was known at that 
time. He longed to become a sailor. 

Genoa, as we have seen, was then one of the greatest 
seaports of Europe. Ships were always entering or leav¬ 
ing its harbor. Little Christopher listened to the won¬ 
derful tales that sailors told of strange lands they had 
v : sited and of the thrilling adventures they had met with. 

Columbus Takes to the Sea. — When Columbus was 
about fourteen years old he had a chance to go on a voy¬ 
age. After that he spent much of his time on the water. 

In those days the rival European cities on the Medi¬ 
terranean Sea were almost always at war with one another. 
They captured one another’s trading vessels and seized 


12 


COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA 


13 


the cargoes. There were many pirates upon the seas, 
and the Turks were always ready to destroy a vessel 
belonging to a Christian. So when men went to sea they 
had to be ready to fight as well as to trade. Probably 
Columbus was in more than one sea battle. 

Columbus Believes in the Western Route to India. — 
As Columbus went on studying maps and charts his 
ambition grew. He wished to do greater things than 
sailing the Mediterra¬ 
nean Sea. The Atlantic 
Ocean, the “ Sea of Dark¬ 
ness,” had no terrors for 
him. He had heard of 
the brave Portuguese and 
their voyages down the 
coast of Africa, and after 
a time he went to their 
country to live. 

He made his home in 
Lisbon, the capital of 
Portugal, until he married. Then he went to live on an 
island off the coast of Africa, where he kept up his 
studies, reading every book that he could get that told 
about the earth or the heavens. 

Out on that lonely island, with only the waves beating 
upon the shore and the stars shining overhead, Columbus, 
after deep study, came to believe that the world is round. 
He reasoned that a route to India shorter than the one 
around Africa could be found by sailing directly westward 
across the Atlantic Ocean. 



Christopher Columbus 


14 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 


The Portuguese King Tries to Trick Columbus. — It 

would take a great deal of money to buy ships and fur¬ 
nish them for the voyage across the Atlantic. As Colum¬ 
bus was poor, he asked the king of Portugal for help. 
The king asked a council of wise men what they thought 
of Columbus’ idea of reaching India by sailing westward. 
The wise men thought the idea very foolish; so the king 
refused to aid Columbus. 

Yet the king seemed to have some faith in what Colum¬ 
bus said, for he secretly sent out ships to try to discover 
for himself a westward route to India. His treachery 
failed, for a storm came up and the men, frightened by the 
great ocean before them, turned the ships back to port. 

Aid Asked of the King and Queen of Spain. — Colum¬ 
bus was very angry when he heard that the king had tried 
to deceive him. He left Portugal and went to Spain, tak¬ 
ing with him his little four-year-old son. When Colum¬ 
bus arrived in Spain, he asked King Ferdinand and Queen 
Isabella to help him carry out his plan for a westward 
voyage. Ferdinand and Isabella did not treat him un¬ 
kindly, but their time was taken up with a war against 
the Moors, an African race that occupied parts of Spain. 
They left the matter to their court geographers, who 
laughed at Columbus when he laid his plan before them. 

After seven years of pleading and waiting and suffering, 
Columbus gave up hope of getting aid from Ferdinand 
and Isabella, and set out for France to ask help of the king 
of that country. 

A Monk Befriends Columbus. — On the way to France 
Columbus stopped at a monastery in Spain to beg bread 


COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA 


15 

for his little boy, and there he met a monk who became 
greatly interested in his story. It so happened that the 
monk was a friend of Queen Isabella, and he persuaded 
Columbus to wait at the monastery until he himself 
could see the queen. 



Columbus Asking the Aid of Queen Isabella 


The monk went to the queen and told her that he be¬ 
lieved in the idea of Columbus. He said that it would 
be a pity for Spain to lose the glory of finding the western 
route to India. 

Queen Isabella Aids Columbus. — Queen Isabella 
listened attentively to the monk and decided to give 
Columbus a hearing. She sent the monk back to the 
monastery with a sum of money for Columbus, and with 
a message bidding the sailor appear before her. 










i6 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 


Columbus found the queen in the camp of the army 
where she then had her court. She consented to fit out 
a fleet for him, and to make him admiral and viceroy 
of all lands he should discover. It was further agreed 
that he should be given a certain portion of all the gold, 
precious stones, and spices that should be found. . 

Three vessels were secured — the Santa Maria , the 
Pinta , and the Nina. These vessels were very small, and 
would to-day be thought unsafe for sailing except near 
the land. Yet Columbus was willing to risk crossing 
an unknown ocean with them. 

Difficulty in Getting Sailors. — It was not easy, how¬ 
ever, to get sailors to man the fleet. Most persons 
thought Columbus was crazy. They said that if the world 
were round, a ship would have to sail downhill one way 
and uphill another. “ Who ever heard of a ship sailing 
uphill ?” they asked. 

On the other hand, they argued, if the earth should 
prove to be flat the ships would keep on sailing forever 
and could never get back. Besides, who wanted to go 
out on a sea that was full of monsters? But Columbus 
would not give up, and at last ninety men were secured. 

The Voyage. — On August 3, 1492, the ships set sail* 
from Palos in Spain. Women, and even men, wept 
when they saw the three little vessels disappear on the 
ocean, for they did not expect to see the ships or their 
crews again. They had not the faith of Columbus, who 
was so sure that he would reach India that he took a 
letter from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to the 
Emperor of India. 


COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA 17 

The vessels were hardly out of sight of land when the 
sailors wished to turn back; but Columbus kept the 
prows of his ships pointed to the west. Each day added 
to the terror of the men. They muttered among them¬ 
selves in discontent and talked about killing their leader. 
Columbus never faltered. On and on he sailed. After 



Caravels of Columbus 

After the model shown at the Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893 

the first few weeks he began to see land birds and float¬ 
ing weeds and other things that made him more and 
more certain that he was going in the direction of land. 

The Discovery. — Many weeks had passed when early 
in the morning of October 12, 1492, land was sighted. 
There was the wildest excitement on the little vessels. 
A boat bearing the admiral was put to shore at once; 
and Columbus, kneeling upon the beach, offered a prayer 
of thanks. Then rising, he claimed the country in the 
name of the gracious queen who had sent him. 



i8 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 


The land discovered was one of the islands that we now 
know as the Bahamas, lying off the coast of North 
America. Columbus believed it to be one of the islands 
near India. The men thought their chance had come to 
make fortunes from the riches of the East. Overcome 
with joy, they crowded about Columbus, begging his for¬ 
giveness for the way they had acted during the voyage. 

The inhabitants of the island — people of a race un¬ 
known to the Spaniards — flocked to the shore. At 
first they were frightened, and stood at a distance peeping 
from behind trees and bushes. Soon, however, presents 
of beads and other bright trinkets from the newcomers 
made them friendly. 

The Land Believed to be Asia. — The visitors and 
natives could not understand each other; but Columbus 
thought from certain signs made by the natives that 
gold was to be found toward the south. Setting sail, 
he soon came upon an island which we now know as Cuba, 
but which he took to be the continent of Asia. As the 
natives here also pointed southward when he asked about 
gold, Columbus continued his voyage in that direction 
until he reached an island that he took to be Japan. He 
named this island Hispaniola , meaning “ Spanish Land,” 
but we now call it Haiti. 

The Return to Spain. — Columbus could not under¬ 
stand why he found no traces of the rich and populous 
cities of the East, yet, he was so sure that he had reached 
Asia that he decided to return to Spain to report the 
discovery to his sovereigns. Moreover, his largest ship, 
the Santa Maria , had been wrecked on Christmas day, 


COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA 


19 


and the captain of the Pinta had sailed away with his 
ship to search for gold. 

Leaving nearly half his men on one of the islands to 
await his return, Columbus set out for Spain in the Nina, 
the smallest of his vessels. Early in the year 1493 he 
arrived at Palos, the port from which he had set sail the 



Map of Lands Discovered by Columbus 


summer before. The people of the town, who had given 
him up for lost, welcomed him with joy. Ferdinand and 
Isabella received him at court with great honor. 

The curiosities that Columbus brought from the strange 
lands attracted much attention, especially some natives 
whom he had persuaded to return with him to Spain. 
To the natives Columbus gave the name “ Indian,” 
because he thought they were inhabitants of India. 
This is the name by which we know these people to-day. 










20 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 


Other Voyages of Columbus. — Ferdinand and Isabella 
at once began to make plans for taking possession of the 
new-found country. Another and larger fleet was fitted 
out, and Columbus was put in command. There was 
no trouble in getting men to go this time. As everybody 
believed that Columbus had reached India, people from 
all walks of life crowded upon his ships, hoping to find 
riches in the wealthy cities of the East. 

Since it was the intention of Spain to colonize the new 
country, Columbus, on reaching the island of Hispaniola 
(Haiti), built a town which he called Isabella in honor 
of the queen. Then he began to explore the neighboring 
islands. He was still puzzled because he could not find 
great cities, but he was as firmly fixed as ever in his belief 
that the land was Asia. 

When Columbus returned to Spain the second time his 
sovereigns soon sent him on a third voyage on which he 
discovered the northern coast of what is known as South 
America. Here sickness came upon him, so he sailed 
to Hispaniola to recover. 

Columbus in Chains. — Columbus found no rest at 
Hispaniola. Troubles bore heavily upon him. The 
colony that he had planted on the island had become 
rebellious. Disappointed because they had not found 
riches quickly, the settlers had quarreled among them¬ 
selves and also with the Indians. Many had been killed 
in brawls with one another and in fights with the natives. 

Those who remained put on Columbus all the blame 
for the bad condition of affairs. A man who had been 
sent from Spain to find out the cause of the trouble declared 


COLUMBUS DISCOVERS AMERICA 


21 



himself governor, arrested Columbus, and sent him back 
to Spain in chains. To see Columbus treated like a 
criminal caused great indignation among the Spanish 
people. The queen was very angry and she at once 
ordered the chains removed. 

Columbus was afterwards sent on a fourth voyage, but 
failing again to find won¬ 
derful cities he returned 
disappointed to Spain. 

Death of Columbus. 

— When the great dis¬ 
coverer was sent home 
in chains, his sovereigns 
promised to restore to 
him his rights in the 
lands that he had found, 
but the promise was not 
kept. His good friend, 
the queen, died soon 
after his fourth voyage. 

Columbus now an old 
man, broken in health 
and spirit, soon followed 
her to the grave. He 
passed away at Valladolid, Spain, in 1506. He died be¬ 
lieving that he had found India by the western route. 
Perhaps his last hour would have been happier could he 
have known that he had discovered a new world. 

The Name America. — The new world should have 
been named Columbia in honor of its discoverer. If the 


The Columbus Monument at Genoa 






22 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 


truth of his discovery had been known at first, without 
doubt it would have been so named. It came to be called 
America from an Italian explorer, Americus Vespucius, 
who for some time was thought to have discovered it. 

Cabot First Reaches the Mainland of 
America 

John Cabot. — It was believed in England, as else¬ 
where, that Columbus had found Asia. People were 
excited and said, “It is a thing more divine than human 
to sail by the West into the East.” Nobody in England 
was more excited over the news than John Cabot. 

Cabot, like Columbus, was born in Genoa and, also 
like Columbus, he was a sailor. When Columbus made 
his first voyage across the Atlantic, Cabot was living in 
Bristol, then the chief seaport of England. 

Cabot’s First Voyage to America. — Cabot thought 
that Columbus had found the southern part of Asia. 
That portion, therefore, would belong to Spain. He saw 
no reason why he should not explore and claim for Eng¬ 
land some other part of Asia. 

With this idea in mind, he presented himself before the 
English king, Henry VII. He reminded that monarch 
that Spain and Portugal were winning wealth and glory 
by their explorations. He said that if King Henry would 
fit out for him a ship, he would sail westward and secure 
for England some of the riches of the East. 

The king, pleased with the idea, granted the request. 
With one vessel, the Matthew , and with only eighteen 
men, Cabot started across the Atlantic in the year 1497. 


CABOT FIRST REACHES THE MAINLAND 23 

At the end of six weeks he came in sight of land. But 
it was not the beautiful country Columbus had visited. It 
was bleak and barren, and there was no sign of wealth. 

Going on shore, Cabot claimed the country for England. 
He saw no people, but he found traps set to catch game, 
and from these and other 
signs he knew that the 
land was inhabited. He 
feared that if he were to 
come upon strange people 
they would kill him and 
his crew, so he hastened 
back to his ship and set 
sail for England. 

Cabot’s Second Voyage 
to America. — Cabot 
thought that he had 
visited Asia, but he had 
really found what is now 
Canada, the country north 
of the United States. 

Cabot firmly believed 
that if he should return to the land that he had dis- 
covered and then sail southward, he would reach Japan. 
This island was known to be off the coast of Asia. 

When Cabot told the king of this belief, the king gave 
his consent to a second voyage. The next year (1498) 
Cabot again crossed the Atlantic. With his son Sebastian 
and a fleet of five or six ships he explored a great part 
of the coast of what is now the United States. 






24 


FINDING A NEW WORLD 


When Cabot made his first voyage the people of Eng¬ 
land looked upon him as a hero, but after his second 
voyage they became disappointed with what he had done. 
They thought that he had found a cold, bleak part of 
Asia, while they had expected him to discover the part 
where there were gold and precious stones and spices. 
Consequently the English did not follow up his discovery. 

Why the Voyages of Cabot Are Important. —For two 
reasons the voyages of Cabot are important. First, 
John Cabot was the first European known to have landed 
on the American continent. Though Columbus had 
already discovered islands off the American coast, Cabot 
landed on the coast of North America a year before 
Columbus made his voyage to South America. Second, 
many years afterward, when England wished to plant 
colonies in North America, she claimed the right to do so 
because Cabot had discovered the continent for England. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Where was Columbus born? 2. What made it possible for a 
poor boy like Columbus to accomplish such great things? 3. What 
great idea came to him? 4. Tell how he tried in different countries 
to get help. 5. Describe his first voyage. 6. When did he discover 
land? 7. What is it now called? Where is it? 8. What did he 
do when he first landed? 9. What did he think he had discovered? 
10. How many voyages did he make? n. Tell of his misfortunes 
and his death. 12. For whom was America named and why? 

13. Who was John Cabot ? 14. When Cabot heard of the discovery 

made by Columbus, what did he propose to the King of England? 
15. Describe his first voyage and what he found. 16. How much did 
Cabot explore on his second voyage? 17. Why did England not 
follow up Cabot’s discovery at once ? 18. For what two reasons were 

the voyages of Cabot important ? 


CHAPTER in 


THE PEOPLE WHOM EUROPEANS FOUND IN 
AMERICA 

The North American Indians. — The land that Colum¬ 
bus found was a wild country, covered with forests and 
prairies. It was inhabited only by a barbarous red¬ 
skinned people of a race that was unknown to Europeans. 



Indian and Canoe 


Columbus, as we have already learned, called these people 
Indians, thinking that they were the inhabitants of India. 

How the Indians Lived. — When the Europeans first 
came to America, the Indians usually lived in tents made 


25 




26 


THE PEOPLE WHOM EUROPEANS FOUND 


of skin or bark. These they called wigwams. They 
hunted in the great woods with bows and arrows; and 
fished in the rivers and lakes, using light birchbark canoes 
in which they could glide about very swiftly. 

They also did some planting. The tobacco and potato 
plants, now so common with us, had never been known 
to the white people until they saw them raised by the 
Indians. On the other hand, there were no horses, 
cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, nor barnyard fowls in America 
until Europeans brought them over. 

How the Indians Dressed. — In summer, the men wore 
only light coverings on their bodies; in winter, they wore 
shirts and leggings made of skins. Their shoes, called 
moccasins, were also made of skins, and with them they 
could easily walk through bramble or thicket. The 
women wore loose-fitting sleeveless dresses made of 
skins. ‘Both men and women painted their faces and 
bodies in many colors. The red men had no money, 
but used, instead, in their trade, strings of shell beads 
called wampum. Wampum belts were also used in mak¬ 
ing records of treaties. 

Indian Worship. — The Indians knew nothing about 
our God. Some tribes worshiped the sun, the moon, 
and the stars; others, the trees, the mountains, and the 
rivers; others, the wind and the snow. Besides the gods 
of the tribe every Indian had his own personal god — 
some beast or bird or fish, which he called his manitou. 

A Warlike Race. — The Indians were a warlike people, 
and tribes were constantly fighting against one another. 
Until they obtained firearms from the white people, they 


THE INDIANS 


V 


fought with bows and arrows and stone hatchets called 
tomahawks, and they carried knives with which to take 
the scalps of enemies. They were very cruel and used 
to torture their prisoners by putting them to death in 
the most dreadful manner. Indians did not fight in 
open battle; they preferred to steal upon their enemies 
and kill them while sleeping; or to fight them from behind 
trees or rocks. 

Yet the Indians had good traits. They always kept 
their promises; they were loyal to their friends, and were 
exceedingly hospitable. When tribes wished to be 
friendly with one another, they would join in smoking 
tobacco in a calumet, or pipe of peace. 

The Red Men and the White Men. — The Indians 
treated the first Europeans who came to this country 
very kindly. They thought that the white-faced, beau¬ 
tifully dressed strangers were beings from heaven; and 
that the ships, with their great sails stretched to the wind, 
were white-winged birds. 

The red men found out all too soon that many of the 
newcomers, though fair in face, were not fair at heart. 
They found that the palefaces would cheat and plunder 
and murder. So there came to be almost constant war¬ 
fare between the two races. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. How did the Indians live at the time America was discovered? 
2. Describe their dress. Their religion. 3. Tell how they made war. 
4. Describe their character. 5. How did the natives treat the white 
men at first? 6. Why did the Indians’feeling for the white man change? 


CHAPTER IV 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 

The Rush oe Gold Seekers 

Finding the Precious Metal in Haiti. — Four years 
after Columbus discovered Hispaniola (Haiti), all Spain 
was set wild over the news that gold had been found 
there. Immediately a number of adventurers from 
Spain flocked to the newly discovered island, eager to 
seize its wealth. They were for the most part bold, bad 
men; and did not stop at any sort of wickedness in their 
greed for riches. 

They were especially cruel to the Indians. When 
the ignorant natives heard the roar and saw the flash 
and smoke of the Spanish guns, they thought that the 
white men were using thunder and lightning against 
them, and became too terrified to defend themselves. 

Settlement of the West Indies. — The Indians were 
forced to yield much of their richest lands to the white 
men; and the Spaniards soon had small settlements 
planted on the larger island of the West Indies and even 
on the near-by shores of the continent. 

Ponce de Leon Finds Florida 

De Leon Governor of Porto Rico. — Among the ad¬ 
venturers who came to Hispaniola from Spain on account 


PONCE DE LEON FINDS FLORIDA 


29 


of the gold fever was Juan Ponce de Leon. On arriving 
at Hispaniola, he took a leading part in subduing the 
natives and was rewarded for his services by being 
made the first governor of Porto Rico, an island east of 
Hispaniola. Ponce de Leon lost no time in conquering the 
natives of Porto Rico and making 
himself master of the island. 

By gathering gold and working 
the Indians as slaves, he soon 
grew rich. He was living in 
luxury when he heard the Indians 
tell about a wonderful spring, the 
waters of which had the power 
to make people young forever. 

De Leon’s heart leapt for joy, 
for he was growing old. Like 
others of his time, he was ready 
to believe all sorts of fanciful stories. It had long been 
believed that such a magic spring did exist somewhere 
in Asia. Since it was still thought that the islands dis¬ 
covered by Columbus were near Asia, Ponce de Leon be¬ 
came convinced that the fountain of which the Indians 
told him was the famous Asiatic Fountain of Youth. 

The Search Started. — Determined to find the magic 
fountain, De Leon fitted out at his own expense a fleet 
of three vessels, and sailed from Porto Rico in the spring 
of 1513. He explored the group of islands now called 
the Bahamas, searching through forests and thickets 
for the secret of youth. He tasted of every spring he 
saw, and bathed in every rivulet and lake. 



30 THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 

Discovery of Florida. — Failing to find the youth¬ 
giving fountain on any of these islands, De Leon con¬ 
tinued his voyage in a northwesterly direction. On 
Easter morning he sighted land, to which, because that 
day is known in Spanish as Pascua Florida , he gave the 
name Florida. This land is now the State of Florida. 

Ponce de Leon landed and claimed the country for 
Spain. Thinking Florida was an island, and hoping to 
find there the wonderful fountain, he once more began 
his vain search. Finally, disappointed by his failure, he 
returned to Porto Rico. 

A few years later De Leon died from an arrow wound 
received in a fight with the Indians while he was trying 
to plant a colony in Florida. 

Balboa Discovers the Pacieic Ocean 

Balboa Goes to Darien. — Spaniards had settled on 
the isthmus of Darien (now Panama), little dreaming 
that only a narrow strip of land separated them from 
another ocean. Among these settlers was Vasco Nunez 
de Balboa, who belonged to a noble but very poor family 
of Spain. 

Soon after arriving at Darien, Balboa became a leader 
in the colony. By his tact he gained for the Spaniards 
the friendship of neighboring Indians. This friendship 
he made stronger by marrying a daughter of one of the 
chiefs. 

Hearing of a Great Sea. — One day a party of Spaniards 
were dividing among themselves some gold that the 
Indians had given them. They soon began to quarrel 


BALBOA DISCOVERS THE PACIFIC OCEAN 


31 


over the amount that each one should receive. The 
Indians were surprised that the white men should value 
so highly a metal they thought to be of no use except for 
making simple trinkets. One of the Indians said that, 
since the Spaniards desired gold so much, they should 
go to a great sea which lay only a little way toward the 
south. On the shores of that sea they would find Indians 
who had so much gold that they 
made their cups and plates of it. 

Balboa Gazes upon the Great 
Sea. — Balboa was eager to find 
the sea and the wealthy Indians. 

In the autumn of 1513 he started 
upon the search, taking with him 
a small body of men. Had 
Balboa known it he could have 
gone straight across the narrow 
neck of land in a very short time. 

As it was, he spent more than 
three weeks in roaming through forests, climbing moun¬ 
tains, and fighting hostile Indians. At last he came to a 
mountain from the top of which, a friendly Indian said, 
the great sea might be seen. 

Balboa wished to be the first white man to gaze upon 
the sea. Bidding his companions stay behind he climbed 
alone to the top of the mountain. From the lofty peak 
he looked down upon blue water stretching further than 
the eye could reach. 

Going down to the shore, Balboa, with his sword in one 
hand and the flag of Spain in the other, waded into the 



Vasco Nunez Balboa 


32 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


water to the depth of his thighs. In a loud voice he 
declared that the sea and all lands bordering on it be¬ 
longed to the king of Spain. 

The Pacific Ocean Called the South Sea. — The body 
of water that Balboa discovered we now know as the 
Pacific Ocean, but Balboa and his companions, still 
thinking that Asia was near, took it for a smaller sea. 
Balboa called it the South Sea. 

When Balboa found that Darien (Panama) was an 
isthmus, he suggested to the king of Spain that a canal 
be cut through the isthmus to connect the Atlantic 
Ocean and the South Sea. It remained for the United 
States, four hundred years later, to cut the canal. 

Fate of Balboa. — While making plans for going further 
in search of the Indians who owned so much gold, Balboa 
was arrested by the governor of Darien. The governor 
had become jealous of Balboa. Pretending to believe 
that Balboa was guilty of treason against the colony, 
he caused the discoverer of the Pacific Ocean to be 
beheaded. 

Magellan's Ship Sails around the World 

Discovery of an Eastern Water Route to India. — The 

Portuguese had continued their explorations down the 
African coast. Before Columbus died, a Portuguese 
seaman, named Vasco da Gama, had succeeded in reach¬ 
ing India by sailing around Africa. Da Gama returned 
to Portugal with a cargo of fine cloths, spices, and precious 
stones. Other Portuguese seamen followed in voyages 
to India, bringing back great riches. 


MAGELLAN’S SHIP SAILS AROUND THE WORLD 33 


Magellan Wishes to Try the Westward Route to India. — 

Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese soldier and navigator, 
spent some years in the East Indies. Because the 
Moluccas, or Spice Islands, are so far east, Magellan 
came to think that the shortest way to reach them from 
Portugal was by sailing westward and passing around 
South America. He asked the king of Portugal to fit 
out for him a fleet with which to make the western 
voyage to the Spice Islands. 

His monarch refused his re¬ 
quest. 

Thereupon, Magellan went 
to Spain to ask the king of 
that country to help him. The 
king of Spain at that time was 
Charles V, the grandson of 
Ferdinand and Isabella, the 
sovereigns who had helped 
Columbus. He was only a 
boy, but he remembered the 
glory and riches that had come to his grandparents through 
listening to the pleadings of a poor sailor. So he readily 
consented to fit out a fleet for Magellan. 

Mutiny, Shipwreck, and Famine. — Five ships were 
secured and with these Magellan put to sea in 1519. The 
voyage across the Atlantic was long and full of danger. 
At the end of two months the fleet sighted the coast of 
Brazil in South America. 

Then Magellan turned the prows of his ships south¬ 
ward and sailed down the coast. Four months had thus 



Ferdinand Magellan 


34 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


passed by the time he reached Patagonia. There, as 
cold weather was coming on, he landed and went into 
winter quarters. 

Some of the men mutinied, one of the vessels was 
wrecked, and the food supply ran low; but Magellan 
was determined to go on. He declared that he would 
go to the Spice Islands if he “ had to eat the leather 
on his ship’s yards.” 

Winter over, the fleet passed into the strait now known 
as the Strait of Magellan. This passage would carry 
the exploring party into the ocean on the other side of 
South America. While in the strait one of the ships 
deserted and sailed back to Spain. 

Eating the Leather on the Shipyards. — The ship that 
deserted, the largest in the fleet, carried most of the pro¬ 
visions. The danger of starvation became still greater 
for the men who remained faithful to Magellan. Never¬ 
theless the bold commander, with his three remaining 
vessels, steered out into the great western ocean. The 
smoothness of this ocean was in such strong contrast 
to the stormy Atlantic that Magellan called it the Pacific 
Ocean. The word Pacific means peaceful. 

The Pacific Ocean is much wider than the Atlantic 
and it took many weeks to cross it. A number of the 
sailors sickened and died for want of food Fortunately 
the sea continued calm, for none would have been 
strong enough to contend against the added hardship of 
storms. What little food there was soon spoiled, and 
the men gladly caught and ate the rats that were in the 
ships. 


MAGELLAN’S SHIP SAILS AROUND THE WORLD 35 


At last Magellan was forced to do what he declared he 
would do rather than turn back — eat the leather from 
the yards of the ships. The leather was tough, but the 
crew soaked it in sea water for several days, broiled it, 
and ate it with great relish. Those who could not get 
enough had to satisfy themselves with sawdust. 

To add to the horror of their plight, the drinking water 
was nearly gone, and the ships were now near the equator 



where the heat is intense. The men had become so weak 
from thirst and heat that often a sailor in climbing the 
rigging would fall lifeless to the deck. 

In all the terrible hardships of the voyage Magellan 
cheerfully took his part. He ate the same food as his 
men, and night and day kept faithful watch over his 
fleet. 

Death of Magellan. — In March, 1521, the Spaniards 
arrived at a group of islands now known as the Philippines. 
Here Magellan heard a native tongue very much like the 
language of islands near India. Here he met traders 
from Asia; so he knew that his goal, the Spice Islands, 









36 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


was near. Magellan died in the hour of his triumph. 
He was killed in a fight with the natives of one of the 
Philippine Islands. 

One Ship Completes the Voyage. — The Spaniards 
hurried away from the Philippines. Soon after leaving, 
one of the ships was considered no longer safe, and she 
was emptied and burned. Of the five vessels with which 
Magellan had set out, only two were now left. 

These two ships reached the Spice Islands in the autumn 
of 1521. There both vessels were loaded with spices to 
carry home, but one of them was soon captured by the 
Portuguese. The sole remaining vessel, the Victoria , 
continued her westward way. 

Many of the crew were dying for want of food, and the 
vessel was battered and worn. Finally the Cape of Good 
Hope at the southern end of Africa was rounded and 
the voyage up the west coast of that continent was 
begun. 

Death continued to reduce the crew. At last in the 
fall of 1522, the Victoria arrived at Seville, in Spain, the 
port from which the fleet had sailed more than two years 
before. Of all that great expedition only eighteen half- 
starved men returned. 

The little vessel had sailed around the world. She 
had made the greatest voyage known to history. 

Importance of Magellan’s Voyage. — Magellan’s voyage 
had two important results. It showed that a wide ocean 
lies between America and Asia, and proved beyond 
doubt that the world is round — for one of his ships had 
sailed out by the west and come back by the east. 


DE SOTO DISCOVERS THE MISSISSIPPI 


37 


De Soto, Seeking Gold, Discovers the Mississippi 

Conquest of Mexico and Peru. — Hernando Cortez, 
leading an army over from Cuba, had conquered Mexico. 
Later Francisco Pizarro crossed the Isthmus of Darien 
(Panama) with an army and conquered Peru. Both of 
these countries were very rich in gold and silver. Peru 
is thought to be the country about which Indians had 
told Balboa. The Spaniards 
robbed the natives of Mexico 
and Peru of the precious 
metals. 

De Soto Made Governor of 
Florida. — Among those who 
had gained riches in Peru was 
Hernando de Soto. While in 
Peru he had been an under 
officer in Pizarro’s army. He 
wished now to be at the head of 
an expedition in search of gold. 

Believing that Florida and the lands lying near con¬ 
tained even more gold than Mexico or Peru, De Soto told 
the king of Spain that he would undertake a search for 
the metal, if the king would make him governor of the 
territory he explored. As the expedition might bring 
further riches to the king, and would cost him nothing, he 
gladly accepted De Soto’s offer. 

An Army Sets Forth Gayly. — De Soto at once began 
to prepare for the journey. His fame was so great and 
everybody was so sure that all who went with him would 



Hernando de Soto 


38 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


find wealth, that members of the best families of Spain 
hastened to join his army. To equip themselves for the 
expedition many sold all the property they owned. 

Amid a blare of trumpets and the shouts of a great 
multitude assembled on the wharves, De Soto sailed from 
Spain with a large and well-equipped fleet. Since every 
one of the adventurers thought he was going on a trip 
that would be one of pleasure and wealth getting, there 
was much merry-making and music and dancing through¬ 
out the voyage. 

The March through the Wilderness. — Early in the 
year 1539 De Soto’s fleet appeared off the west coast of 
Florida. Almost from the moment of landing the 
Spaniards met with trouble. De Soto, instead of making 
friends with the natives, treated them with cruelty and 
injustice. He began by capturing Indians and trying 
to force them to go with him as guides. 

At every opportunity along the march Indians, hidden 
behind trees, showered arrows upon the explorers. When 
the Indians captured a Spaniard, they put him to death. 
When the Spaniards captured an Indian, they placed 
him in chains and made him carry their heavy burdens. 
If they had no need for him, they killed him. 

In his search for gold, De Soto spent two years in 
marching through the present states of Florida, Georgia, 
Alabama, and Mississippi. He met disappointment after 
disappointment, for as he marched on, he was always 
greeted with the same story, that gold was to be found 
a little farther ahead. 

The men suffered greatly from want of food and from 


DE SOTO DISCOVERS THE MISSISSIPPI 


39 


the constant attacks of the Indians. De Soto had kept 
up his cruelties and news of his outrages went ahead of 
him. Naturally the fierce red men were ready for him 
all along the way. 

Battle of Mavilla. — In southern Alabama De Soto's 
army came upon a palisaded Indian village, called 



Mavilla. There a severe battle was fought, for the natives 
felt that their homes were at stake, and they made a 
desperate resistance. The Indians were defeated and 
many of their warriors were killed. Among the dead 
was their brave chief, Tuscaloosa. In the fight the 
Spaniards lost a number of their men and all their 
baggage. 













40 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


Soon after landing in Florida the men wished to turn 
back. All along the march they had begged De Soto 
to return to Cuba. After the battle of Mavilla they 
became more discouraged than ever, and pleaded with 
their leader to march towards the coast where ships 
awaited them. But De Soto was proud as well as brave, 
and could not bear the thought of failure. He declared 
that he would not turn back until he had found gold. 

Discovery of the Mississippi. — In the spring of 1541 
De Soto and his men reached a high bluff near the present 
city of Memphis. There they beheld a mightier river 
than they had ever dreamed could exist. It was the 
Mississippi and it flowed a mile wide between them and 
the unknown west toward which they had set their faces. 
So far as is known, they were the first white men to look 
upon the waters of that great stream. 

Death of De Soto. — De Soto and his men crossed the 
river in rudely constructed boats, and spent the third 
winter in Arkansas, still searching for gold. Discouraged 
by failure, De Soto at length made his way back to the 
Mississippi. The ranks of the army that had set out so 
joyously had been greatly thinned by death, and those 
left were weary with the toil and hardships of the long 
march. The Indians, seeing the desperate condition 
of the Spaniards, became bolder. 

With his health broken and his fierce spirit crushed, De 
Soto died in the spring of 1542. It was thought best to 
keep his death a secret, for the Indians held him in great 
dread and should they learn that he had died they might 
increase their attacks. The men placed his body in 



CORONADO’S QUEST 41 

a boat, and in the darkness of the night they lowered 
it into the muddy waters of the great river that he had 
discovered. An unknown grave was the only reward of 
the man who had dared so much for gold. 

The Survivors Escape to Mexico. — The followers of 
De Soto, reduced to one half their number, wandered 


De Soto’s Discovery of the Mississippi, 1541 
After the picture by W. H. Powell, in the Capitol at Washington. 

over the country a year longer. Finally they built 
boats, floated down the Mississippi River, and succeeded 
in reaching a Spanish settlement on the shore of Mexico. 

Coronado’s Quest of the Seven Cities of Cibola 

The Seven Cities of Cibola. — While De Soto was 
making his unsuccessful search for gold in the southern 





42 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


part of what is now the United States, other Spaniards 
were exploring the far western part. 

Reports had come that in the country north of Mexico 
the people were so rich that they lived in great luxury. 
Their cities were large. Their houses were built of stone 
and were many stories high; the doors of the houses 
were decorated with turquoises. Men and women used 
balls of gold as ornaments for their ears and noses and 
wore belts studded with the turquoises around their 
waists. Indeed, the country was so full of gold and silver 
and precious stones that whole streets were used by 
goldsmiths and jewelers. The cities were seven in number 
and came to be called the Seven Cities of Cibola. 

Coronado Seeks the Wealthy Cities. — Having seen 
the wealth of the natives of Mexico and Peru, the 
Spaniards believed the story. Francisco de Coronado, 
a Spanish official of Mexico, led an army in search of the 
seven cities. He marched over the dreary desert lands of 
Arizona and New Mexico, and was the first white man to 
gaze into the depths of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. 
He crossed the rolling prairies until he had gone as far 
north as Kansas and probably Nebraska. 

The men of Coronado’s party did not suffer as much as 
those of some other Spanish expeditions. It is true that, 
because they were cruel to the Indians, they had con¬ 
stantly to fight their way forward, but they did not lack 
for food. For meat they killed the buffalo, and they 
forced the Indians to give them large supplies of corn. 

No gold was found and the Seven Cities of Cibola 
turned out to be only seven squalid Indian villages, 


CORONADO’S QUEST 


43 

Disappointed and dejected were the men who turned 
back over the many weary miles to Mexico. 



Results of the Spanish Explorations and Settlements. 

— By this time much of the Atlantic coast of America 
had become known through the explorations made 
mainly by the Spaniards. The long marches of De 













44 


THE SPANIARDS IN AMERICA 


Soto and Coronado into the interior proved North 
America to be a large continent. 

Spain claimed the continents of both North and South 
America, but had made settlements only in Mexico and 
Central America and South America where gold had been 
found in abundance. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. When gold was discovered in America, how was the news received 
in Spain? 2. What class of people hurried to the New World? 
3. How did they treat the natives? 4. What kind of man was Ponce 
de Leon? 5. For what was he searching? 6. What land did he 
discover, and what did he call it ? 7. How did he die ? 

8. What name is now given to the Isthmus of Darien ? 9. Who was 

Balboa? 10. How did he hear of another ocean? 11. Describe his 
journey to the ocean. 12. What did he do when he reached the 
ocean? 13. What name did he give to the ocean, and why ? 14. Tell 
the fate of Balboa. 

15. What great idea did Magellan wish to prove ? 16. How did the 

king of Portugal treat him ? What did Charles V do for him ? 17. De¬ 
scribe the route that he took. 18. Tell about the sufferings of his 
men. 19. How did Magellan die? 20. Tell about the Victoria’s 
home-coming. 21. What two important results had Magellan’s 
voyage ? 

22. Tell about the wealth that the Spaniards seized in Mexico and 
Peru. 23. What did the finding of so much wealth make De Soto 
ambitious to do? 24. How was De Soto equipped for his expedition? 
25. How did he treat the Indians? 26. Trace the line of his march. 
27. What great discovery did De Soto make? 28. Tell about his 
death and burial. 29. Compare the expeditions of De Soto and 
Columbus. 

30. Tell the story of the Seven Cities of Cibola; and Coronado’s 
search for them. 31. Give the result of the Spanish explorations. 
32. Where did the Spaniards make settlements? 


CHAPTER V 


THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 

Why Other Europeans Followed the 
Spaniards to America 

The Power of Spain. — Spain had become the strongest 
nation of the world. Most of her power came from the 
great quantities of gold and silver and precious stones 
that she obtained from America; for with this treasure 
she equipped large armies and fleets. 

Other nations feared that Spain would become so 
powerful as to endanger their independence, and they set 
about crippling her by attacking her commerce with 
America. Whether a nation was at peace or at war 
with Spain made no difference. 

The Work of the Corsairs. — In those days every nation 
had its corsairs. It was mainly the corsairs that attacked 
Spanish commerce. The corsair sailed in his own ship, 
but with the consent of his king who often helped to 
outfit the vessel. He usually divided with his king the 
booty that he captured. 

Nowadays we all know that it is very wrong for a ship 
of one nation to attack a ship of another nation unless 
the nations are at war. But in those days it was considered 
right to attack a ship of another nation, in time of peace, 
if such an attack would benefit one’s own country. 


45 


46 


THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 


Indeed, the corsair considered himself a patriot, and his 
fellow countrymen looked upon him as one. 

By capturing or destroying Spanish ships coming from 
America, and seizing their rich cargoes, corsairs did much 
damage to Spanish commerce. As all vessels venturing 
beyond the waters around home were heavily armed, 
many fierce combats occurred. The most active of the 
corsairs preying upon the ships of Spain were those of 
England, France, and Holland. 

Jacques Cartier in Canada. — The French were the 
first to think of the idea of planting colonies in America 
as a help in the struggle against Spain. They hoped 
that such colonies would, as in the case of Spain, bring 
wealth to the treasury of France. They believed that 
the colonies might be used as starting points for expedi¬ 
tions against Spanish ships coming from the West Indies. 

The French naturally turned their attention to Canada, 
for the voyage to that country had become familiar to 
French fishermen who had for many years been catching 
cod off the banks of Newfoundland. 

Francis I, king of France, sent Jacques Cartier to 
Canada with a small party of settlers in 1541. One 
winter in the cold climate was enough for Cartier and his 
men. With the coming of spring, they sailed back to 
France. For some years afterward the French could 
do nothing more toward establishing colonies in America, 
for a war with Spain had broken out, and they had all 
they could do to defend their country. 

The Reformation. — Meanwhile a religious movement, 
known as the Reformation, had begun in western Europe. 


WHY THE FRENCH CAME 


47 


It resulted in many persons leaving the Catholic Church. 
Those who left the Church are now usually called Protes¬ 
tants. 

In Spain, every one remained faithful to the Catholic 
Church. In England and Holland, the government 
and most of the people became Protestant. In France, 



Thus; ist Voyage — 2nd Voyage-3d Voyage —» —> 

the Protestants, or Huguenots as they were called in that 
country, became very numerous, though the king, the 
nobility generally, and most of the people continued to be 
Catholic. 

Persecution on Account of Religion. — The ruler of 
almost every country believed that the government 
would be stronger if all its people had the same religion 
as the king. Therefore, any one who did not willingly 








48 


THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 


accept that religion should be forced to do so. Besides, 
it was generally thought that it would benefit the soul 
of a person of another religion for him to suffer per¬ 
secution and even death. Consequently, Catholic or 
Protestant, whichever was in power, maimed or put to 
death followers of the other faith. 

Admiral Coligny and His Huguenot Colony 
in Florida 

Persecution in France. — Religious wars broke out 
in France. The Huguenots, being the weaker party, 
were the greater sufferers. 

The distress of the Huguenots deeply grieved Gaspard 
de Coligny, a Huguenot nobleman. He determined to 
found in America a colony where his fellow-churchmen 
might live free from persecution, Charles IX, who was 
then king of France, though a Catholic, was very friendly 
to Coligny, whom he had appointed an admiral. The king 
would be glad to be rid of the Huguenots, and he looked 
upon a French colony in America as a great blow against 
Spain. For these reasons he willingly gave Coligny per¬ 
mission to establish the colony. 

Huguenots in Florida. — In 1564 Coligny sent out a 
party of Huguenots to settle in America. These Hugue¬ 
nots built a fort on the St. John’s River, near the site of 
the present city of Jacksonville. In honor of their king, 
they called the fort Caroline, from Carolus , the Latin word 
for Charles. 

Founding of St. Augustine. —The king of Spain was 
alarmed when he heard that a French colony had been 


HUGUENOT COLONY IN FLORIDA 


49 


planted so near his West Indian possessions. He hurried 
over Pedro Menendez de Aviles with a strong fleet and 
army to destroy the young colony. 

The Spaniards landed on the coast of Florida at a 
point south of Fort Caroline. Here they set to work 
(3:565) to build a fort. From this fort has grown St. 
Augustine, the oldest city in the United States. 

The Massacre at Fort Caroline. — Jean Ribault, the 
cool brave commander at Fort Caroline, acted quickly. 
He put most of his men on board ships, and sailed forth 
to attack the Span¬ 
iards before they could 
finish their fort. Un¬ 
fortunately, a furious 
storm arose which so 
tossed the ships about 
that they could not get 
near enough to shore 
for the French to make 

an attack. Fort Caroline, the French Huguenot 

Menendez, seeing Settlement in Florida 

that the French fleet was helpless, immediately marched 
across the country to attack Fort Caroline. He fell upon 
the small garrison that had been left to defend the fort 
and massacred all except a few who escaped into the 
woods. 

Meanwhile the storm had wrecked the French fleet 
and only a few persons escaped and reached land. When 
Menendez came upon the survivors from the wrecked 
ships, he massacred them also. 




50 


THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 


The Revenge of the French. — The people of France 
were very indignant when they learned of the foul way 
in which their countrymen had been murdered. Charles 
IX, who was a weak king and at heart afraid of the power 
of the Spanish king, did nothing; yet the crime was 
avenged. A Frenchman, Dominique de Gourgues, in¬ 
censed at the cowardice of his king, took it upon himself 
to punish the Spaniards. In order to raise the money 
to buy ships and supplies for the men whom he induced to 
join him, Gourgues sold all his lands. Still not having 
enough money, he borrowed what was lacking from his 
brother. 

Upon landing in Florida, Gourgues persuaded an 
Indian tribe against whom the Spaniards had made war 
to aid him in the attack. Most of the Spaniards who had 
taken part in the massacre were at Fort Caroline. Sud¬ 
denly and without warning Frenchmen and Indians 
surrounded the fort. All the Spaniards except about 
fifty were killed; these Gourgues hanged later. 

The Frenchmen had heard that Menendez had placed 
over the scene of the massacre an inscription which read, 
“ I do this not as to Frenchmen, but as to Lutherans 
(Protestants).” After the Frenchmen had finished their 
work of revenge, Gourgues nailed upon a tree a notice 
reading, “ I do this not as to Spaniards, but as to traitors, 
robbers, and murderers.” 

Spain Continues to Hold Florida. — Gourgues and his 
men soon afterward returned to France, and the Span¬ 
iards continued to hold Florida. The Huguenots made 
no further attempt to plant colonies in America. 


SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN 


51 


Samuel de Champlain, “The Father of 
New France” 

New France.—Peace having come once more to the 
French, they again turned to Canada, which they called 
New France. The French king gave New France to a 
commercial company. This company was to get its 
profits from having entire con¬ 
trol of the fish and fur trades. 

Samuel de Champlain. — 

One man, Samuel de Cham¬ 
plain, stands out above all 
others in the early history of 
Canada. Champlain had 
spent his young manhood in 
the service of France, part of 
the time in the army and part 
in the navy. 

Champlain was a most loyal 
Frenchman, and he resented 
that France should be domineered over by Spain. His 
life on the sea had increased his spirit of adventure, 
and he longed to explore the wilderness that stretched 
far into the interior of America. It was natural, there¬ 
fore, that Champlain should wish to take part in es¬ 
tablishing in Canada a French colony. 

Beginnings of Quebec. — Having been appointed 
governor of New France, Champlain founded the town 
of Quebec in 1608. He carried to Quebec twenty-eight 
men; but so great was the suffering from cold and 



Samuel de Champlain 


5 2 


THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 


disease that all, except Champlain and eight others, died 
during the first winter. The brave Champlain kept up 
the courage of the survivors. In the spring other settlers 
with more provisions came and the colony was saved. 

Why New France Grew Slowly. — For nearly a quarter 
of a century Champlain was governor of New France. 
So slow was the growth of the colony that during all that 
time the number of inhabitants was never more than 
about one hundred. The trouble was that the company 
owning the colony wished to make out of it all the money 
possible. It cared nothing for settlements where people 
built homes and made their living by planting crops.*, 
it cared only to establish trading posts where furs and skins 
could be bought from the Indians with cheap trinkets. 
There were only one or two farms at Quebec, for practically 
every inhabitant of the town was employed in trading 
for the company. 

Champlain knew that only through thrifty, self- 
supporting settlers could the colony become strong. He 
begged the company to send over such settlers, but he 
begged in vain. 

Champlain and His Indian Allies. — Champlain made 
friends with the neighboring Indians, who were Algon- 
quins. These Indians were the bitter enemies of the 
Iroquois, who dwelt in what is now the upper part of the 
State of New York. The Iroquois were the most powerful 
and the most warlike of all the North American tribes. 

When the Algonquins saw how deadly was the shot 
from the Frenchmen’s guns, they looked upon it as some¬ 
thing marvelous. With such weapons they could easily 


SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN 


53 


conquer the hated Iroquois. They reasoned among 
themselves that if the white chief was a real friend to the 
Algonquins, he would be willing to fight against their 
dreaded foes. They asked Champlain to go on the war¬ 
path with them against the Iroquois, and he, wishing to 
keep them friendly, consented. 

War with the Iroquois. — Bedecked with war-paint 
and shrieking their war-whoop the Algonquin warriors 



The Defeat of the Iroquois at Lake Champlain 
After the drawing by Champlain in his Voyages 


guided Champlain and two other Frenchmen to Lake 
Champlain in the Iroquois country. These three French¬ 
men were the first Europeans to look upon the beautiful 
waters of the lake. 

Near by they met the Iroquois. Just as the fighting 
was about to commence, the Algonquins called to their 
white allies to come forth; and Champlain and his two 
companions took position in front of the battle line. The 


54 


THE COMING OF THE FRENCH 


Iroquois had never before seen white men, and they stood 
dumbfounded while they watched the Frenchmen approach¬ 
ing. When Champlain fired his gun and two of their 
chiefs fell dead, they turned and fled in terror. 

Why the Frenchmen Pushed Westward. — As the 
years passed Champlain joined the Algonquins in other 
battles against the Iroquois. These wars had an im~ 



The First View of Quebec 
After an old print 


port ant effect upon the history of America. The Iro¬ 
quois, ceasing after a while to look upon the French as 
superhuman, came to hate them. They prevented the 
French from carrying their explorations and settlements 
into New York. Unable to go southward from Canada, 
the Frenchmen pushed westward, thus leaving New York, 
as we shall see later, for the Dutch and then the English 
to colonize. 

Champlain’s Work. — Champlain stands foremost 
among the explorers of America. He sailed along the 












QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


55 


entire coast of New England and he penetrated the 
western forests as far as Lake Huron. He was a close 
observer, and in his accounts of his explorations he 
described so well everything he saw that he gave Euro¬ 
peans their first clear ideas of the northern part of the 
continent of North America. 

Though he explored much, Champlain did not neglect 
the Frenchmen under his charge. He watched over them 
with the greatest care. In his twenty-five years as 
governor he made many sacrifices and suffered many 
hardships in order that the colony he had founded might 
survive. He richly deserves the title that has been given 
him, “The Father of New France.” 

Champlain died and was buried in his beloved Quebec* 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Why was Spain the most powerful nation of Europe ? 2. What 

did other nations fear from Spanish power? 3. Describe the work of 
the corsairs. 4. How did the French plan to injure Spain? 5. Tell 
about Jacques Cartier. 6. Tell about the Reformation, and the perse¬ 
cution that followed it. 

7. Relate how the Huguenots attempted to plant a colony in America. 
8. Tell how it was destroyed. 9. How was its destruction avenged? 
10. Which is the oldest city in America? n. Who continued to hold 
Florida ? 

12. What country was formerly called New France? 13. Describe 
the settlement of Quebec. 14. Why did New France grow so slowly? 
15. Why did not the French settle New York? 16. Tell why you 
think Champlain deserves the title, “The Father of New France.” - 


CHAPTER VI 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 

Sir Francis Drake, who “ Singed the King 
of Spain’s Beard” 

Growth of the English Navy. — In the many years that 
had passed since John Cabot, sailing in an English ship, 
discovered the continent of North America, the English 
nation had grown much stronger. Elizabeth, one of the 
greatest queens of the world’s history, ruled over England 
for nearly fifty years, from 1558 to 1603. As England 
is on an island, Elizabeth knew that the best way to 
defend her country would be to have a large navy. She 
built many warships; still, her navy was not as powerful 
as that of the king of Spain. 

English, French, and Dutch corsairs continued to attack 
the commerce of Spain for the purpose of crippling her 
power. The English corsairs did more damage than 
those of any other nation. 

Drake Sails around the World. — The most famous 
of the English corsairs was Sir Francis Drake. In the 
year 1577 Drake started from England with five vessels 
for the purpose of attacking the rich Spanish colonies 
on the Pacific side of South America. By the time that 
he had passed the Strait of Magellan all but one ship, 
56 


SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 


57 


the Golden Hind , had deserted him, yet he kept on. 
Cruising northward along the Pacific coast Drake ran 
his single ship into the ports of Chile and Peru, and vast 
quantities of gold, silver, and precious stones fell into his 
hands. From one ship alone he took a cargo worth three 
million dollars. 

Drake continued his course northward, and explored 
the coast of California. On the shores of a bay, now 
thought to be the San 
Francisco Bay, the natives 
made Drake their king, 
placing upon his head a 
crown of feathers. But 
Drake, instead of keeping 
the kingship thus thrust 
upon him, claimed the 
country for Elizabeth, his 
queen. 

From California Drake 
steered the Golden Hind 
straight across the Pacific, 
and, passing around Africa, returned to England. Drake 
was the second explorer, and the first Englishman to sail 
around the world. His voyage had lasted nearly three 



Sir Francis Drake 


years. 

The people of England welcomed Drake home with 
much enthusiasm. Queen Elizabeth was so pleased with 
his exploits that she went down to the Golden Hind , 
anchored in the Thames River near London, and knighted 
the intrepid sailor. 


58 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


# 

“ Singeing the King of Spain's Beard. ” — A few years 
later, Philip II, king of Spain, determined to punish 
England for her continued unfriendly acts against his 
country. In the harbor of Cadiz, Spain, he began build¬ 
ing a great fleet, or Armada, for the purpose of invading 
England. Drake was sent with a fleet to do what 
damage he could to the Armada. Cadiz was strongly 
defended by forts and warships. Boldly entering the 
harbor, Drake sunk all the supply ships and many of 
the warships of the Armada. Sailing out of the harbor 
he continued his work of destruction by attacking Spanish 
vessels on the high seas. 

Drake called his exploit in the harbor of Cadiz “ singe¬ 
ing the king of Spain’s beard.” It took a year for Philip 
to repair the damage done to his Armada. 

Defeat of the “ Invincible Armada.” — Finally, in 1588, 
the Armada was completed. Undoubtedly it was one of 
the most formidable fleets that the world had ever seen. 
It numbered one hundred and thirty ships and carried 
three thousand cannon and thirty thousand men. The 
king of Spain boastingly called the fleet the “ Invincible 
Armada.” So sure was he of victory that he posted on 
the coast of France a large army which was to land in 
England as soon as the Armada had swept the English 
ships off the sea. 

Englishmen rallied to save their native land from the 
threatened calamity. Volunteers hurried to join the army 
and shipowners loaned their vessels to the navy. 

When the dreaded Armada appeared in the English 
channel, Drake and other high commanders of the English 


SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 


59 


navy were playing a game of bowls at Dover where their 
fleet had been assembled to await the coming of the 
Spaniards. The other players wished to stop and rush 
to their ships, but Drake insisted that the game continue, 
for, he said, “ There is time to finish the game first and 
beat the Spaniards afterwards.” 



The Spanish Armada in the English Channel 
After an engraving by the Society of Antiquarians following a tapestry in 
the House of Lords 


Drake was right. The battle ended in a disastrous 
defeat for the Armada. Few of the Spanish ships got 
back home. Some were sunk by English gunners and 
others were wrecked in a storm that arose while they 
were trying to make their escape. Twenty thousand 
Spaniards were killed or drowned. The English lost 
only about a hundred men. 

Decline of Spanish Power. — The defeat of the “ In¬ 
vincible Armada ” did more than save England; it 
















So 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


marked the beginning of the end of Spain’s naval power. 
The Spaniards were disheartened by the terrific blow. 
England kept up her destructive war upon Spanish ships 
and it was not many years before Spain was so weakened 
in her naval power that she could not prevent other 
nations from colonizing America. 

Sir Walter Raleigh and His “Lost Colony” 

The English Turn to America. — Before the defeat of 
the “ Invincible Armada,” Sir Walter Raleigh had tried 
to plant an English colony in America. 

Raleigh and the Queen. — Raleigh was a great favorite 
of Elizabeth. There is a pretty story of the way he first 
came into her notice. 

One day as her Majesty was walking through the 
garden with her ladies, she came to a muddy place in the 
path and hesitated. Raleigh was near by, and he quickly 
drew off his handsome scarlet cloak, and kneeling, spread 
it over the mud, that the queen might pass without soiling 
her shoes. Queen Elizabeth was so much pleased with 
this graceful act that she made Raleigh one of her courtiers. 

Raleigh Sends out an Exploring Expedition. — Raleigh 
believed that a better way to cripple Spain than by seizing 
her ships would be to settle English colonies in America, 
and through them check the growing power of Spain in 
the New World. You will remember that the French had 
the same idea. Raleigh probably got his idea from them. 

When Raleigh asked Queen Elizabeth to let him plant 
a colony in the New World, she willingly gave him a 
charter which declared that the colony should be his own. 


SIR WALTER RALEIGH 


61 


Raleigh was to govern the colony and all the profits 
were to be his. The colonists, of course, were to continue 
to be subjects of Elizabeth. A colony like Raleigh’s — 
one owned and governed by a man or a set of men instead 
of the sovereign — is called a proprietary colony. 

Raleigh sent two 
ships to America to 
find a good place for 
his colony. These 
entered Pamlico 
Sound on the coast 
of North Carolina. 

There the men found 
much to please them 
—a mild climate, fish 
and game in plenty, 
and good fruits and 
vegetables. They 
made friends with the 
Indians, who enter- 

. . , , Sir Walter Raleigh 

tamed them most 

hospitably on Roanoke Island. On their return to 
England, the men gave a glowing account of the land 
they had visited, and the queen herself suggested that 
it should be called Virginia, in honor of herself. Elizabeth 
was known as the “ Virgin Queen ” because she had never 
married. 

Raleigh’s First Colony.—In the next year (1585) 
Raleigh sent a colony to Roanoke. But as their food ran 
low and they could get none from the Indians, whom 




62 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


they had offended, the colonists, after a short stay on 
the island, returned to England. 

They carried back to Raleigh tobacco and white po¬ 
tatoes. The Spaniards and the Portuguese had long 
before discovered these American products, but people 
in England knew little or nothing about either. 

Sir Walter Smokes a Pipe. — When Sir Walter re¬ 
ceived the tobacco, he formed the habit of smoking like 
the American Indians. Now Raleigh’s servant did not 
know how the weed was used. On entering the room 
one day he saw smoke coming from his master’s mouth. 
He thought his master on fire and instantly threw a 
pitcher of water into his face to “ put him out.” 

Raleigh planted on his estate in Ireland the potatoes 
that his colonists gave him. They became so plentiful 
in that country that, although the plant was brought 
from America, it came to be called the Irish potato. 

Raleigh’s Second Colony. — Of course Raleigh was 
sorry that his colonists did not remain on Roanoke 
Island, but he was not yet ready to give up. In 1587, 
he sent out another party with John White as governor. 

Among these colonists were Eleanor, daughter of the 
governor, and her husband, Ananias Dare. Shortly 
after the landing at Roanoke, a daughter was born to 
them. The little girl was called “ Virginia ” from the 
new province. This baby was the first child born of 
English parents within what is now the United States. 

When little Virginia Dare was only ten days old, her 
grandfather, the governor, had to return to England to 
get aid for the colony. 


SIR WALTER RALEIGH 


63 


It was just at this time that England was preparing 
for the coming of the “ Invincible Armada.” Raleigh 
could not send White back to America for all the ships 
in England were needed to repel the invasion. As 
the war with Spain continued even after the defeat of 
the Armada, more than 
three years passed before 
White could return to 
Roanoke. 

Disappearance of the 
Second Colony. — When 
White’s ships at last ar¬ 
rived at Roanoke Island, 
there was not a living 
being on shore to hail 
them. Cannon were fired 
and English songs were 
sung by the sailors in the 
hope that the colonists 
would answer. But no reply came except the murmur 
of the waves. 

White and his companions were seized with a terrible 
fear as they passed through thicket and forest to the spot 
where the colonists had built their village. There their 
worst fears were realized. Everything was deserted; the 
houses were in ruins, and grass had grown in the fort. 

“ Croatoan ” Carved on a Post. — Before White had 
sailed for England, it had been agreed that should the 
colonists decide to move their settlement, they would 
mark on doorposts and trees the name of the place to 






6 4 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


which they had moved. In case they were in danger, 
they were to make a cross under the name. 

White saw, plainly carved on a doorpost, the word 
“ Croatoan.” His heart bounded with joy because 
Croatoan was the name of an island near by where friendly 
Indians lived. Since he saw no cross under the name, 
White felt sure that his loved ones, with the other colonists, 
were safe on this island. He wished to go at once to 
Croatoan Island to search for the missing settlers, but 
a storm arose, and the captain of the ship refused to skirt 
those dangerous shores. So leaving the colonists to their 
fate, the fleet put for the open sea and home. 

What became of the colony is not definitely known. 
Raleigh sent out other searching parties, but the missing 
ones were never found. 

The Fate of Raleigh. — Misfortune now befell Raleigh 
himself. His good friend Queen Elizabeth died, and 
James I, who had no love for Sir Walter, came to the 
throne of England. 

Raleigh was accused of plotting to take the throne from 
James. The charge was false but that made little 
difference in those days. At his trial Raleigh was given 
no chance to defend himself and was convicted. King 
James sent him to the Tower of London, a famous old 
prison that is still standing. 

For thirteen long years Raleigh was kept a prisoner in 
the Tower, and was then released. The king of Spain 
looked upon Raleigh as one of his most dangerous enemies, 
and the Spanish king had much influence over the weak 
English king. Two years after his release from prison, 


JOHN SMITH AND THE VIRGINIA COLONY 65 

Raleigh, because the Spanish monarch wished it, was led 
to the scaffold and beheaded. Thus died the brave, 
generous knight — a victim of the ambition of kings. 

John Smith and the Virginia Colony 

The London Company. — Raleigh’s work lived; for 
other men, inspired by his example, planted in Virginia 
the first permanent English colony in America. 

For the purpose of establishing the colony these men 
formed a company, which came to be known as the 
London Company, because the members lived in or around 
London. King James I gave the company a charter 
very much like the one Queen Elizabeth gave to Sir 
Walter Raleigh. As was the case with Raleigh, the com¬ 
pany was to govern the colony and receive all the profits. 

Settlement of Jamestown. — In 1607, the London 
Company sent out three vessels, the Susan Constant , the 
God-Speed , and the Discovery , having on board one hun¬ 
dred and five colonists — all men. On New Year’s Day, 
the men bade farewell to England and set their faces 
toward a new world. 

After four long months, the straining eyes of the colon¬ 
ists sighted the Virginia shore. The fleet entered Chesa¬ 
peake Bay and sailed some distance up a broad river. 
The land was fair and all things promised well. Choosing 
a spot on the bank of the river for a settlement, the colon¬ 
ists landed, May 13, 1607. In honor of their king they 
named the settlement Jamestown and the river the James. 

As soon as the settlers had pitched their tents, they 
began building a fort. They made a church by nailing 


66 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


between two trees a board for a pulpit and stretching 
a sail from one of the vessels above it. Under the 
shelter of this awning the colonists had prayers twice 
a day. 

The Indians did not like the idea of white men settling 
on their lands, and before long they banded together and 

attacked the little col¬ 
ony. They were quickly 
driven away. 

Sickness and Starva¬ 
tion. — Soon a worse 
danger threatened the 
settlers. The food had 
spoiled during the long 
voyage, and the only 
drinking water was from 
the muddy river. Be¬ 
sides, the location of the 
town was unhealthful. 
Fever broke out, and the suffering was most pitiable. 
Before the end of the summer more than half the colo¬ 
nists had died of fever or starvation. 

Captain John Smith. — One man, Captain John Smith, 
saved the colony. Smith had already lived a life of 
varied adventure before trying his fortune in the wilds 
of America. Before he was twenty years old he took 
part in two wars. Then, growing tired of helping 
Christians kill one another, he set out to join in a war 
against the Turks. While fighting the Turks he was 
taken prisoner and sold into slavery. After suffering 



Captain John Smith 


JOHN SMITH AND THE VIRGINIA COLONY 67 

much from cruel treatment, he made his escape and 
wandered on foot through many countries of Europe. 

On arriving in England, Smith found that the London 
Company was preparing to send its first shipload of settlers 
to America. His love of adventure would not permit him 
to remain in England; so he joined the band of colonists. 

John Smith Gets Corn from the Indians. — One of the 
first things that Smith did after the colonists had settled 
at Jamestown was to make friends with the Indians. 
Now that starvation was threatening the few survivors 
of the colony, Smith’s friendship with the natives stood 
them in good stead. 

Smith went up and down the river, trading with the 
Indians. He exchanged hatchets, knives, looking-glasses, 
and bright-colored cloth for corn. When winter came, 
Smith had collected such a large quantity of corn that all 
danger from starvation had passed. In the meantime 
cool weather had driven away the fever. 

John Smith and Pocahontas. — Smith’s task often 
exposed him to danger. On one visit to the red men 
they suddenly turned against him. Their chief, Pow¬ 
hatan, decided that he should die. Accordingly, Smith’s 
hands were tied behind his back, he was stretched upon 
the ground, and his head was laid upon a rock. As 
a brawny warrior raised his club to crush Smith’s head, 
Pocahontas, the young daughter of Powhatan, rushed 
forward, and throwing herself across the captive’s body 
begged her father to spare his life. Powhatan loved his 
little daughter, and he could not refuse her request, so 
he set John Smith free. 


68 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


Marriage of Pocahontas. — From that time Pocahontas 
was a good friend to the colonists, bringing them food 
herself, and persuading other Indians to help them. 

Some years later Pocahontas was married to one of the 
settlers, John Rolfe. Pocahontas had one son. Through 
him some of the best families in Virginia are to-day 
proud to claim descent from 
the “ Indian princess/’ as Poca¬ 
hontas was fondly called by the 
colonists. 

Further Trouble for the 
Colonists. — When Smith re¬ 
turned from his captivity, he 
begged the settlers to plant 
corn, for he feared that the 
Indians would not always fur¬ 
nish them with food; but the 
men would not listen to him. 
Most of them had been unused 
to hard work in England, and thought themselves too 
good for it. They had come to Virginia to find riches, 
so instead of working they searched for gold which, of 
course, they did not find. 

Smith’s fear that the Indians would stop trading with 
the settlers soon came true. With alarm the natives 
saw more and more white men coming over to the settle¬ 
ment, and they began to think that there would soon be 
too many to drive away. 

The Indians of Virginia were not yet used to the 
strangers, and were timid about making war upon them. 



Pocahontas 


JOHN SMITH AND THE VIRGINIA COLONY 69 

They had seen many of them die of starvation, however, 
and they planned to refuse them corn and let the colony 
perish. Therefore, at the beginning of the second winter, 
when Smith went again to the Indians, they would not 
trade with him. Smith found that he could not per¬ 
suade them, so with a show of boldness he frightened the 
redskins into letting him have a large supply of corn. 

Smith Puts the Colonists to Work. — The charter that 
the king gave the London Company did not allow a 
settler to own the product of his labor. The crop he 
raised, the fish he caught, the game he killed, and the 
food he secured from the Indians had to be placed in the 
village storehouse, there to be divided equally among all. 
Even the house that a man built belonged as much to the 
other colonists as to himself. Thus the lazy men, of 
whom there were many in the colony, spent their time in 
idleness, living upon what the hard-working men had 
earned. 

Now John Smith, who had by this time been placed at 
the head of the colony, was a just man and he was as 
wise as he was bold. He knew how to make the lazy 
men work. He made a new law: “ He who will not 

work shall not eat.” Every man in the colony under¬ 
stood that John Smith meant what he said, and the idle 
went to work in a way that was surprising. Before the 
second year ended a number of houses had been built 
and much land planted. 

Smith Returns to England. — A few months later 
John Smith was severely wounded by an explosion of 
gunpowder. As there was no surgeon in Virginia who 


70 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


could properly treat the wound, he had to return to 
England. 

The “ Starving Time.” — After Smith left there was 
no one strong-willed enough to rule the colony, and the 
men again fell into idle and evil ways. They treated 
the Indians harshly, and the Indians in turn killed every 
settler who strayed any distance from the town. The 
settlers were wasteful of their provisions, and when they 
had eaten up everything, they found that the Indians 
would not supply them with food. 

In the winter of 1609-10, what is known as the “ starv¬ 
ing time ” set in. The suffering was terrible. When 
Smith left in the autumn, the settlers numbered five 
hundred. When spring came so many had died from 
hunger and cold that only sixty half-starved settlers were 
left. 

Prosperity Comes to Virginia. — In the spring some 
English ships arrived at Jamestown, and the wretched 
settlers decided to give up the colony and go back to 
England. 

Bidding farewell to Jamestown, they boarded the ships 
and sailed down the river. Before they reached the bay, 
however, they were met by a fleet sent over from England. 
As the fleet had plenty of provisions, the settlers changed 
their minds and returned to Jamestown. With the 
fleet had come Lord Delaware, whom the London Com¬ 
pany had made governor of the colony. 

John Smith, whose energy and force of character had 
kept the colony from perishing in its infancy, never came 
back to Virginia. But his wise counsel in making the 


JOHN SMITH AND THE VIRGINIA COLONY 


7 * 

settlers work was followed by Lord Delaware and other 
governors who came after him. Since every person works 
better when he is allowed to enjoy the product of his labor, 
each settler was allotted a plot of ground to cultivate for 
his own profit. The planting of tobacco was begun, and 
trade in the weed was opened up with England. Soon 
the colony was prospering. 

First Legislature in America. — The London Company 
allowed the colony to have a legislature, or assembly as 



it was called, to make its laws. The legislature, the 
first in America, met in the little wooden church at 
Jamestown in 1619. One of its acts was to declare that 
the colonists should be taxed only with the consent of 
the assembly. 

The meeting of the first legislature of Virginia is an 
important event in our history. English colonists who 
came to Virginia regarded themselves still as English¬ 
men, and, therefore, entitled to the same rights as English¬ 
men who remained at home. In England the people 
were taxed only with their consent — that is, by a parlia- 



72 


THE COMING OF THE ENGLISH 


ment whose members they elected. The Englishmen 
in Virginia claimed that they should be taxed only by 
their own assembly. 

The English, who settled other colonies later, followed 
the example of Virginia in claiming the right to be taxed 
only by their own representatives in their own assemblies. 

Women Come to Virginia. — In the same year that the 
first legislature met at Jamestown a shipload of young 
women of good character came to Virginia. The London 
Company sent them over to become wives of the colonists, 
for the company knew that the men would never be 
satisfied unless they had wives in their homes. Each 
woman was allowed to marry whom she chose, but the 
husband had to give the company enough tobacco to 
pay the cost of sending her over. We may well imagine 
how gladly the men in that lonely country sought life- 
mates among these young women. 

Virginia Becomes a Royal Colony. — In England, 
opposition to the king’s ruling as he pleased had become 
so strong that a political party had been formed to check 
his power. Most of the members of the London Company 
belonged to this party, and King James, becoming angry 
with them, took away their charter in 1624. The king 
became the owner of Virginia, thus making it a royal, 
or crown colony. After that time the king appointed 
the governor, though the colonists still retained the right 
to elect the members of the assembly. 

The Virginia Colony Brings Other English Colonies. — 
The success of the Virginia colony was now assured. 
While there were occasional troubles with the Indians 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


73 


and quarrels with unjust governors sent over by the king, 
the colony continued to prosper. We shall see later how 
other Englishmen, attracted by the success of Virginia, 
planted colonies in America. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Why did Queen Elizabeth wish England to have a great navy? 
2. Who was the first Englishman to sail around the world? 3. Tell 
the story of the Golden Hind. 4. How did Drake singe the King of 
Spain’s beard? 5. What was the Invincible Armada, and what 
became of it ? 6. Mention some of the results arising from the defeat 

of the Armada. 

7. How did Raleigh win the favor of the queen? 8. How did 
Virginia receive its name? 9. What became of the first Raleigh 
colony? 10. Tell the story of the “Lost Colony.” n. Why was 
Raleigh put in the Tower of London, and why was he finally put to 
death ? 

12. Tell how, when, and where the Virginia colony was planted. 
13. Describe the sufferings of the first settlers. 14. Relate some of 
the early experiences of John Smith. 15. How did John Smith save 
Virginia? 16. Tell the story of Pocahontas. 17. How were idle 
men allowed to impose on the industrious ? 18. What rule did Smith 

make to change this injustice ? 19. Why did Smith return to England ? 

20. What terrible trouble came upon the colonists after Smith left? 

21. When and where did the first legislature in America meet? 

22. Why was the meeting of this legislature important? 23. How 

were wives obtained for the early settlers? 24. What is a royal, 
or crown colony, and why was Virginia made such a colony ? 25. What 

effect did the success of the Virginia colony have ? 


CHAPTER VII 


THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 

Henry Hudson on the River that Bears 
His Name 

Henry Hudson. — Captain John Smith had a friend 
in England named Henry Hudson, who, like Smith, was 
fond of adventure and would undergo any peril for the 
sake of it. Hudson, who was a sailor, had made a number 
of voyages into far-away waters, and his fame as a seaman 
had spread throughout Europe. 

Seeking a Northeast Route to Asia. — The Dutch 
had for many years carried on a fine trade with India by 
sailing around Africa. This was a long way, and they 
began to wonder if a shorter route could be found. 

At length a Dutch Company employed Hudson to find 
a northeast route to India — for it was thought that a 
passage around the north of Europe would be shorter 
than the one around Africa. 

Hudson Sails in the Half Moon. — The Dutch 
Company fitted out for Hudson a small vessel called the 
Half Moon. The crew was made up half of Dutchmen 
and half of Englishmen — about twenty in all. With his 
little ship and small crew Henry Hudson started bravely 
out to find the northeast passage to India, but in the 


74 


HENRY HUDSON 75 

Arctic region north of Europe the ice became so thick 
that the ship could go no farther. 

The Dutchmen and the Englishmen in the crew quar¬ 
reled with each other, and their suffering from the bitter 
cold made their discontent worse. Hudson was in a 
dangerous position. Up in that lonely ice-covered sea 
he was facing a crew ready to mutiny. He knew that at 



The “Half Moon” in the Hudson River 


any time they might kill him in order to sail the ship back 
home. 

Hudson Turns His Ship Westward. — Hudson was un¬ 
willing to return home without further effort to find a 
passage to India. He told the crew of a letter which he 
had received from his friend John Smith, in Virginia. In 
the letter Smith said that somewhere, not far north of 
Virginia, a sea or strait passed around North America, 
and that through this body of water India could be 




7 6 


THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 


reached. Although more than one hundred years had 
passed since Columbus first came to America, Europeans 
still held to the belief in such a passage to India. 

Hudson suggested to his men that since the ice kept 
them from finding the northeast passage to India, they 
might try to find the northwest passage which Smith had 
told him about. The crew, glad to get away from the 
frozen sea, agreed to make the attempt. 

The little Half Moon was then turned westward, and 
the voyage across the broad Atlantic was made. 

Entering New York Harbor. — When North America 
was reached, Hudson sailed his ship up and down the 
coast, looking for the northwest passage. Finally, in 
1609, he entered a magnificent bay which is now New 
York harbor. He saw emptying into this bay a large 
river. 

Sailing on the Hudson. — Nothing would satisfy Hud¬ 
son and his adventurous crew but that they should ex¬ 
plore the river. So the Half Moon sailed upstream as 
far as the depth of the water would permit. The men 
were charmed with the magnificent scenery. Because 
of the picturesque mountains on either side, Hudson 
named the stream the “ River of Mountains,” but it is 
now called the Hudson in honor of its discoverer. 

As the Half Moon sailed up the river and down again, 
the crew traded with the Indians along the banks, buying 
valuable furs and skins in exchange for cheap trinkets, 

On coming out of the Hudson River and New York 
harbor, the Half Moon steered straight for Europe, for 
every one was eager to report the discovery. 


NEW NETHERLAND AND NEW AMSTERDAM 


77 


New Netherland and New Amsterdam 

The Beginning ot New York. —When the Half Moon 
returned to Holland, news quickly spread through that 
country that a beautiful river had been discovered, on 
the banks of which rich furs and skins could be bought 
from the natives for almost nothing. The Dutch at once 
began sending out vessels to trade on the Hudson. 



Sketched by a Dutch officer in 1633 

In 1613, a fort and a few small trading houses were 
built on Manhattan Island. This little settlement was 
the beginning of the great city of New York. 

New Netherland Given to the Dutch West India Com¬ 
pany. — Dutch vessels also explored as far north as Cape 
Cod, in Massachusetts, and as far south as the Dela¬ 
ware River. They claimed for Holland all the land be¬ 
tween these points. They called the country New Nether¬ 
land, in honor of Holland, which is sometimes called The 
Netherlands. 












78 


THE COMING OF THE DUTCH 


In 1621, the Dutch government gave this land to a com¬ 
pany of rich merchants in Holland, known as the West 
India Company, and settlers were sent over. The island 
of Manhattan was bought from the Indians for twenty- 
four dollars, and the settlement already begun there was 
named New Amsterdam, from Amsterdam, the chief city 
of Holland. 

The Slow Growth of New Netherland. — The colony 
of New Netherland grew very slowly. As was the case 
with the French colonies, most of the men who came to 
New Netherland were not seeking to make homes there 
but to trade with the Indians. Hence they were con¬ 
stantly coming and going. 

The Patroons. — In the hope of increasing the popula¬ 
tion of New Netherland, the West India Company agreed 
to give a large tract of land and the title of “ Patroon ” 
to every one of its members who should bring over to the 
colony fifty settlers. A few men, who succeeded in bring¬ 
ing over fifty settlers, were made “ Patroons,” but the 
plan was soon given up for it did not work well. The 
conditions under which the tenants were to till the lands 
of the “ Patroons ” were too hard to induce many farmers 
to leave Holland. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. What did Henry Hudson undertake to do for the Dutch? 
2. What change did he make in his plans ? Why ? 3. What discovery 

did he make for the Dutch ? 

4. Tell about the beginning of New York City. 5. What part of 
this country did the Dutch claim? 6. What was the Dutch West 
India Company? 7. Why was the growth of New Netherland slow? 
8. Why did not the plan of creating “Patroons” succeed? 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 

William Bradford and John Winthrop in 
Massachusetts 

Who the Puritans Were. — Before the first English 
settlement in America was made, the Protestants of Eng¬ 
land had begun to quarrel among themselves about church 
matters. The Church of England had long been, as it 
is now, the “ established church ”; that is, the church 
favored by the government. From this church has come 
the Episcopal Church in America. A number of the 
members of the church objected to the way it was gov¬ 
erned and to its form of worship. These people were 
called Puritans, because it was said they wished to purify 
the church methods. 

King James I did not like the Puritans because he 
thought their attacks upon the church were attacks upon 
himself and his government. He had his officers break 
up their meetings and put them in prison. 

The Pilgrims. — At length a little band of Puritans, 
who had suffered persecution because they withdrew from 
the church, decided to leave their native country and 
seek a place where they could worship as they wished. 

They went first to Holland, where they called them¬ 
selves Pilgrims — meaning travelers. But as they did 

79 


8o 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


not wish to mix with the Dutch, they decided to take 
refuge in the wilds of America, where the Virginia colony 
had already been successfully planted. 

A committee was sent over to England to ask King 
James to give the Pilgrims a charter for planting a colony 
in America. The king refused to give the charter, be¬ 
cause he did not wish to have any dealings with the Pil¬ 
grims. However, he dropped a hint that the Pilgrims 
might without his consent settle a colony in America. 
He gave them to understand that he would not trouble 
them if they lived there peaceably. 

The Voyage of the Mayflower . — The Pilgrims were 
very poor, so they had a hard time raising enough money 
to get ships and the supplies needed for the long voyage. 

When everything was ready, those who had been chosen 
to make the first voyage to America went back to England, 
for it was planned that they should start from that coun¬ 
try. One hundred and two persons, — men, women, and 
children, — crowded upon one small vessel — the May¬ 
flower — and set sail from Plymouth harbor. The voyage 
was stormy, and the vessel, which came near being 
wrecked, took three months to cross. 

The Landing at Plymouth. — The Pilgrims had in¬ 
tended landing somewhere near Virginia, but storms 
drove them far north, and when they at last sighted land 
they were off the coast of New England. Winter had 
come; the ground was frozen, and heavy snows were 
falling. Yet the Pilgrims had become so weary of being 
crowded together in the little vessel that they welcomed 
even that cold bleak coast. 


MASSACHUSETTS 


8x 


On December 21, 1620, a landing was made on the shore 
of what is now Massachusetts. A site was chosen for 
their town, which they called Plymouth, after the city 
from which they had sailed. 

The Mayflower Compact. — Before landing, the men 
had met in the cabin of the Mayflower and drawn up 
a paper by which all 
agreed to obey the 
laws of the govern¬ 
ment that they 
would set up. The 
paper is known as 
the Mayflower Com¬ 
pact. John Carver 
was made the first 
governor. 

A Winter of Suffer¬ 
ing. — At first the 
building of 
progressed slowly, for 
bad weather often kept the men from working. The 
colonists suffered much from cold and hunger, and sick¬ 
ness spread rapidly among them. So many became 
sick and so many deaths occurred that at one time there 
were hardly enough well men to bury the dead. By the 
end of the winter half the settlers had died, and among 
the dead was Governor Carver. 

William Bradford. — The survivors kept stout hearts. 
In the spring when the Mayflower returned to England, 
not one of the brave little band went back. They chose 



The “Mayflower” 

houses From the model in the Smithsonian Institution 
at Washington 






82 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


William Bradford to succeed Carver as governor. Brad¬ 
ford was a young man who, much against the wishes 
of his family, had joined the Pilgrims and had come to 
the New World ready to undergo all sorts of hardships 
for what he believed to be the right faith. 

Samoset and Massasoit Make Friends with the Pil¬ 
grims. — Fortunately the Indians did not attack the 
settlement in its weak condition. It was not long before 
the colonists learned why the Indians had left them un¬ 
troubled. One day, an Indian named Samoset walked 
into the settlement, saying, “ Welcome Englishmen.” 
The settlers were surprised to see a native who could 
speak English. They found that Samoset had learned 
a little of the language from some Englishmen who had 
come to the coast of- New England to fish. 

Samoset told the settlers that about four years before, 
a band of Indians had killed some white fishermen, and 
soon afterward a plague had wiped out all the tribe. 
The Indians of other tribes believed that the plague had 
been sent as a punishment for the killing of the whites, 
so they were afraid to harm the Pilgrims. 

Samoset brought Massasoit to visit the Englishmen. 
Massasoit was the chief of the Wampanoags, the tribe 
living nearest to Plymouth. The settlers received the 
chief most kindly, and made a treaty of peace with him. 
Massasoit lived for fifty years longer and during all that 
time the terms of the treaty were faithfully kept. 

The First Thanksgiving Day in America. — The friend¬ 
ship of the Indians was worth a great deal to the colonists, 
for the Indians were able to help them in many ways. 


MASSACHUSETTS 


83 


Their greatest help was in teaching the settlers how to 
plant corn. 

By autumn the health of the colonists had been restored; 
a good crop of corn had been raised; wild turkeys, deer, 
and fish had been secured in abundance; and enough fuel 
for the coming winter had been laid by. 

Then Governor Bradford set a day for thanksgiving to 
God for His blessings to the colony. Thus began the cus- 



Copyright . 1891, by A. S. Burbank 
A View of Plymouth in 1622 


tom of setting aside one day in the year as Thanksgiving 
Day — a custom that is now followed all over the country. 

The Desperate Struggle of Plymouth against Diffi¬ 
culties.—The Pilgrims were very thrifty. They wrenched 
crops from the stony soil, and they traded with the 
Indians for skins and furs. By dint of hard work Plym¬ 
outh became in a few years a self-supporting colony. 
Other Pilgrims came over, but the colony did not be¬ 
come strong in numbers for the Pilgrims were only a 
very small branch of the Puritans. 






84 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


Bradford lived for thirty-five years after coming to 
America, and was governor of Plymouth with the excep¬ 
tion of four years during all that time. He ruled the 
colony so wisely that he was greatly beloved. 

Other Puritans Come. — When James I died, he was 
succeeded on the throne of England by his son, Charles I. 
The new king treated the Puritans who remained in Eng¬ 
land even worse than his father had done. Some of them 
decided to follow the example of the Pilgrims in planting 
a colony in America as a place of refuge. 

They organized a company and, in 1628, sent over sixty 
men who settled Salem, in Massachusetts, not far from 
the town of Plymouth. The company thought it would 
be safer to have a charter from the king if possible. It 
will be remembered that King James had refused to give 
the Pilgrims a charter. King Charles, however, willingly 
gave a charter to the Puritans when they asked one of 
him, for they were not like the Pilgrims, poor humble 
folk, but were persons of influence and wealth. They 
were members of the strong political party that had been 
formed against the king, and doubtless Charles was glad 
to be rid of them. The new company was called the Com¬ 
pany of Massachusetts Bay. 

John Winthrop. — The persecution of the Puritans 
in England became so severe that the members of the 
company themselves resolved to go to America, and to 
carry their charter with them. They thought that it 
would not be so easy for the king to take away their 
charter if the broad ocean lay between them and 
England. 


MASSACHUSETTS 


85 


John Winthrop, who was a member of the company, 
was elected governor. In 1630 he crossed the ocean with 
a large party of Puritans in a fleet of four vessels. Puri¬ 
tans now began coming in great numbers and before the 
end of the year there were more than one thousand in 
the Massachusetts Bay colony. 

Settlement of Boston. — There were not enough houses 
in Salem for all these people, so they scattered along the 
shores of Massachusetts Bay, 
building new towns. Among 
these was Boston, which was 
made the capital of the colony. 

Winthrop Encourages His 
People.—As was the case with 
most other colonies, the settlers 
suffered greatly during the first 
winter for want of food and 
proper shelter. The food sup¬ 
ply got so low that they were 
glad to eat acorns and nuts. 

Many of the colonists died. 

Governor Winthrop by his courage kept up the spirit 
of his people. Though he was rich, and had been used 
to all the comforts of life, he set to work with his own 
hands to build houses and clear the ground for planting. 

Massachusetts Has a Church-Controlled Government. 
— The Puritans had come to America in order to worship 
God in their own way. They feared that if they allowed 
other religions, they might lose control of the colony and 
perhaps finally be persecuted again. So when any one 



John Winthrop 


86 THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 

who did not attend the Puritan Church came into the 
colony, he was sent away. 

Only members of the Puritan Church were allowed to 
vote. The ministers decided who should be church mem¬ 
bers, and they admitted only a few. In this way the 
church controlled the government of the colony. It is 
interesting to know that the present Congregational 
Church grew out of this early Puritan Church. 

Winthrop’s Great Heart. — We now realize that it is 
wrong to pass laws against religion, but in those days 
even good men like John Winthrop thought it dangerous 
to allow any other religion than their own. Still, though 
most of the Puritans believed in dealing very severely 
with people who did not belong to their church, John 
Winthrop was too kind-hearted to be harsh. He always 
tried to make the punishment of offenders as light as 
possible. 

Winthrop lived in the Massachusetts Bay colony nine¬ 
teen years. He was elected governor term after term, 
serving in all fifteen years. Most of the other four years, 
he served as deputy governor. He, more than any one 
else, made the Massachusetts Bay colony a success. 
Winthrop left a record that stamps him as one of the fore¬ 
most men of America’s colonial history. 

Rapid Growth of Massachusetts. — Unlike the Pilgrim 
colony at Plymouth, the Massachusetts Bay colony grew 
very rapidly. In twelve years it had a population of 
twenty thousand. In 1691 the English government 
united the colonies of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth 
under the name of Massachusetts Bay. 


CONNECTICUT 


87 


The English Settle in New Hampshire. — Before the 
Puritans settled Massachusetts Bay, a few men from 
England founded (1623) the towns of Portsmouth and 
Dover in New Hampshire. Later, emigrants from Massa¬ 
chusetts moved into the colony. 

For a while during the colonial period, New Hampshire 
was a part of Massachusetts, but at the time of the Revo¬ 
lution it was a separate colony, belonging to the king. 

Thomas Hooker and His Congregation 
Seek Connecticut 

Dutch and English Claim Connecticut. — We have seen 
that the Dutch claimed that the territory of New Nether- 
land extended far into New England. For the purpose 
of trading for the fine furs that were plentiful in the valley, 
the Dutch had built a fort on the Connecticut River. 
This fort they called Good Hope. 

Now, the English also claimed Connecticut, and the 
people of the Plymouth colony wished the fur trade of 
the valley. So a small band of Plymouth men built a 
trading post on the Connecticut River. 

The Dutch governor of New Netherland vowed that 
the English should not be allowed to stay on land that he 
claimed belonged to Holland, and he sent a body of soldiers 
from New Amsterdam to drive them away. But the men 
from Plymouth would not leave. The Dutch soldiers, 
after much talking and blustering, marched back to New 
Amsterdam without firing a shot. 

News of a Rich Valley Reaches Massachusetts. —The 
Dutchmen and the Plymouth people, seeking only to 


88 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


trade with the Indians, made no effort to settle Connecti¬ 
cut. It was finally settled by emigrants from the Massa¬ 
chusetts colony. 

The people of Massachusetts had a hard struggle to 
make a living from the stony soil of their colony. When 
news of the fertile land and rich furs of the Connecticut 
Valley reached them, it seemed to them that the valley 
was a land of milk and honey. Many longed to go there. 
As one colonist wrote with the quaint spelling of the time, 
“ Hereing of ye fame of Conightecute river, they had a 
hankering mind after it.” 

There was another reason why these people were im¬ 
patient to leave Massachusetts and make new homes in 
the wilderness of Connecticut. Although they were mem¬ 
bers of the Puritan Church, they did not like the church- 
controlled government of Massachusetts; they wished 
to go where they could form a government of their own 
that would be freer. 

The First Towns in Connecticut. — In the year 1635, 
small parties of Massachusetts people moved overland 
into Connecticut. Some of them, settling around the 
Plymouth trading post, began the town of Windsor; 
others founded the town of Wethersfield. 

Thomas Hooker and His Congregation. — The next 
year, the entire congregation of the church at Newton 
(now Cambridge), Massachusetts, decided to leave. Led 
by their pastor, Rev. Thomas Hooker, they started 
through the wilderness for Connecticut, driving their 
cattle and hogs before them. In the congregation were 
about one hundred men, women, and children. The dis- 


CONNECTICUT 89 

tance to be traveled was less than one hundred miles, 
and Hooker and his flock were ten days on the way. 

It was a pleasant journey. The time was the balmy 
days of early June, when the woods were bright with 
flowers and green foliage, and alive with the music of the 



New England in the Seventeenth Century 


birds. Some traveled on horseback, some on foot, and 
the weaker ones in wagons. All went with light hearts, 
seeing before them happier times in the land of promise. 

Founding of Hartford. — Arrived at the Connecticut 
River, Hooker and his congregation built their cabins 
around the spot where the Dutch had erected Fort Good 
Hope. This settlement became the city of Hartford. 










9 o 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


Trouble with the Indians. — Within less than a year 
after the arrival of Hooker’s party, eight hundred persons 
from Massachusetts had moved into Connecticut. 

The Pequots, the most powerful Indian tribe in New 
England, lived in Connecticut. They watched with 
alarm the coming of the English, for they knew that, if 
the English became very numerous, the Indians would 
be driven from the home of their ancestors. So they 
went upon the warpath to wipe out the colony while it 
was still feeble. They killed men, women, and children, 
and destroyed houses, livestock, and crops. Weak as the 
colony was, it raised a little army which, after some 
months of fighting, destroyed the whole Pequot tribe. 

Other tribes of New England were amazed that any 
people should be strong enough to destroy the powerful 
Pequots. Warned by the fate of this tribe, they gave no 
trouble for forty years. This long period of peace enabled 
all the New England colonies to grow steadily. 

The Connecticut Constitution. — Shortly after the 
Pequot War, the inhabitants of the three towns, Hartford, 
Windsor, and Wethersfield, drew up a constitution for 
the government of Connecticut. It was the first written 
constitution in the history of the world, and was the only 
constitution adopted by an English colony before the 
outbreak of the Revolution. 

Why We Should Honor the Connecticut Constitution. — 
The drawing up of the constitution was a bold thing 
to do, for the people of Connecticut had not asked 
permission of the king. Indeed, the king was not men¬ 
tioned in the document, which required that the people 


RHODE ISLAND 


9 * 

take an oath to support the colonial government, not 
the king 0 

Most governments, at that time, oppressed the people, 
but the government of Connecticut gave them many 
rights. Thomas Hooker took a leading part in the framing 
of the constitution. 

We should always honor these pioneers of the forest 
who were so far ahead of their time. 

Roger Williams Founds Rhode Island 

Young Williams in Massachusetts. — Soon after the 
founding of Massachusetts, there came to that colony 
one of the best and bravest men known to American 
history, Roger Williams. Williams had been a Puritan 
minister in England, but he was wiser than most of his 
sect. He did not like the kind of government that had 
been formed in Massachusetts, and he spoke strongly 
against it. 

Williams’ Liberal Views. — Williams declared that 
every one should be allowed to worship God as he pleased; 
that a man should be allowed to vote whether he belonged 
to the Puritan Church or not; that people should not be 
made to pay taxes for the support of any one church; 
and that a man should not be made to go to church against 
his will. Roger Williams meant simply that the govern¬ 
ment should not meddle with a person’s religion. He 
was merely trying to put an end to laws that we all know 
now to be wrong, and that have long since been changed. 

The Young Minister Called a “ Troubler.” — For the 
Puritans of Massachusetts to do what Williams wished 


92 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


meant the overthrow of the government that they had 
been at such great pains to set up. Naturally they did 
not like this idea, and they tried to make Williams hold his 
peace. There was no power great enough to silence him. 

He even went further and said that the king had no 
right to give to settlers land in America for the reason 
that the land was not the king’s to give. The Indians, 
he said, were the owners of the land, and they alone 
could give it away or sell it. Roger Williams so annoyed 
the Puritans that they called him a “ troubler.” 

Williams Flees to the Wilderness. — When they found 
that they could not control his speech, the Puritans de¬ 
cided to drive Williams from the colony. Orders were 
given to arrest him and place him on board a ship about 
to sail for England. 

Williams heard of these orders; so, kissing his wife and 
children good-by, he slipped out of his house in the dead 
of night and fled into the wilderness. 

Befriended by the Indians. — Finally Williams sought 
shelter among the Indians. He had often before visited 
them, staying with them days at a time. He once said, 
very truly, “ My soul’s desire is to do the natives good.” 
The natives had learned to love him, and they gave him a 
cordial welcome when his own people had driven him from 
home. 

Massasoit, the old friend of the Plymouth colony, took 
Williams into his wigwam, and later gave him land upon 
which to build a house. 

Williams Ordered to “ Move On.” — Soon a messenger 
came from Plymouth to warn Roger Williams that the 


RHODE ISLAND 


93 


land which Massasoit had given him belonged to the 
Plymouth colony, and to order him to move on further. 
Again the wanderer set out. 

Rhode Island Begun. — Williams went to the head of 
Narragansett Bay, and there, with a few friends who had 
followed him from Massachusetts, 
he founded the town of Providence 
in 1636. Williams was careful 
to buy the land from the Narra¬ 
gansett Indians to whom it 
belonged. 

A government was formed which 
was not in any way to interfere 
with a man’s religion. As Wil¬ 
liams said, the colony was founded 
“ as a shelter for the poor and 
persecuted.” To all who sought 
the colony, Williams gave land. 

He gave away so much land 
that he had none left for himself. 

From this humble beginning grew 
the colony of Rhode Island. 

Williams Saves New England. 

— When the Pequots went on the warpath to destroy 
the colony of Connecticut, they wished the Narragansetts, 
another very powerful tribe, to join them in the war. The 
Pequots thought that by this union every colony of New 
England could be overwhelmed. At that time the two 
tribes could muster many more warriors than there were 
fighting men in all the colonies of New England combined. 



The Monument to Roger 
Williams at Providence 



94 


THE ENGLISH IN NEW ENGLAND 


When news of the plan of the Pequots reached Massa¬ 
chusetts, the officials of that colony — the very men who 
had persecuted Roger Williams — wrote Williams a letter 
beseeching him to use his influence with his friends, the 
Narragansetts, to keep them from joining the Pequots. 

Williams, forgiving the men who had wronged him, took 
a canoe, and alone, in a heavy storm, paddled across Naira- 
gansett Bay to the village of the chief. There he found 
messengers from the Pequots begging the Narragansetts 
to help drive the white men from the land of their fathers. 

For three days and nights Williams stayed with the 
Narragansetts, urging that they remain friendly to the 
whites. At every moment he was in danger of being 
murdered by the Pequot messengers, but not once did he 
waver in his purpose. His influence with the Narra¬ 
gansetts was so great that he not only kept them from 
joining the hostile tribe, but actually persuaded them in¬ 
stead to help the colonists against the Pequots. 

Williams in Later Life. — The other New England 
colonies disapproved of Rhode Island because it allowed 
all kinds of people to live within its boundaries. They 
would have nothing to do with such a colony, and pre¬ 
dicted that it would fail. But its founder cared nothing 
for other people’s opinion when he knew that he was in 
the right, and continued to welcome every unfortunate 
white man who sought protection in his colony. He pro¬ 
tected the red men, too, and he never lost their good will. 

Roger Williams’ name shines brightly upon the pages 
of American history, for his long and useful life was spent 
in the cause of liberty and justice. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


9 5 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Who were the Puritans ? Why were some of them called Pilgrims ? 
2. Describe the voyage of the Mayflower , and the first winter at Plym¬ 
outh. 3. Who was William Bradford? 4. Why were the Indians 
good to the Pilgrims at first ? 5. Tell about the first Thanksgiving Day. 

6 . Why was the Plymouth colony never strong, and how did Bradford 
watch over it ? 

7. Why was Massachusetts settled? 8. Tell all you can about 
John Winthrop. 9. Why did the Puritans treat other people harshly ? 
10. What kind of government did Massachusetts have? n. What 
became of the Plymouth colony? How was New Hampshire settled? 

12. What two nations claimed the Connecticut Valley? 13. Why 
did people in Massachusetts wish to go to the valley? 14. Relate 
the story of Thomas Hooker and his congregation. 15. Tell of the 
PequotWar. 16. Why should we honor the framers of the Connecticut 
constitution ? 

17. What was it about the Puritan Church of Massachusetts that 
Williams did not like? 18. Do people now think as he did? 
19. What did he say the king had no right to do ? 20. How did the 

people of Massachusetts treat him? 21. Where did he go; and what 
colony did he found? 22. How did he get on with the Indians? 
23. Tell how Roger Williams saved New England. 24. Why should 
the name of Roger Williams be a household word with Americans ? 


CHAPTER IX 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 

Lord Baltimore and His Maryland Colony 

Why Baltimore Wished to Establish a Colony. — 

Catholics were persecuted in England on account of their 
religion. George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, was 
a Catholic and wished to settle a colony in America as a 
refuge for people of his faith. As he was a just man, he 
desired that the colony should be a haven of peace for 
every Christian, whether Catholic or Protestant. 

The King Gives Baltimore a Charter. — In order to 
carry out this worthy plan, Lord Baltimore asked King 
Charles I, who was his friend, to give him a charter and a 
grant of land in America. The king consented and gave 
him land north of the Potomac River, next to the colony 
of Virginia. 

How Maryland Received Its Name. — When the char¬ 
ter was written, Baltimore had a space left for the name 
of the colony. He took the charter to the king to be 
signed, and Charles asked, “ What will you call the 
country? ” 

Baltimore answered, “ I wish your majesty to name it.” 

“ Then,” said the king, “ let us name it for the queen. 
Let it be Mary Land.” So Maryland became the name 
of the new colony. 


g6 


MARYLAND 


97 


The Rights of the Lord Proprietor. — The great seal 
of England had to be put on the charter to make it lawful. 
Before this could be done Lord Baltimore died, and the 
document was given to his son, Cecilius Calvert, the second 
Lord Baltimore. 

By this charter Baltimore was made lord of the colony. 
In fact, he had as much power as if he had been its king. 
The revenues from the col¬ 
ony were to go to Lord 
Baltimore, and the laws 
passed by the colonists were 
to be sent to him for ap¬ 
proval, and not to the 
king. 

As Lord Baltimore was 
the owner of Maryland, he 
was called the Proprietor. 

However, to show that the 
king was sovereign over the 
colony, Baltimore was made 
to give him two Indian ar¬ 
rows every year. 

The Voyage of the Ark and the Dove. — Balti¬ 
more intended to com^to America with the colonists, 
but as there was hard feeling in England because the 
charter had been given to a Catholic, he stayed in London 
to protect his rights. He sent his brother, Leonard Cal¬ 
vert, to act as governor in his stead. 

Lord Baltimore had said Christians of any creed might 
live in his colony. Hence, a number of Protestants as 



Sir George Calvert, Lord 
Baltimore 

After a painting in the State House, 


9 8 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 


well as Catholics sailed in his two ships, the Ark and the 
Dove , when they left England near the end of the year 

1633. Two Catholic priests came with the colonists. 
The fleet crossed the ocean in a terrible storm, and arrived 
at Jamestown, Virginia, after a three months’ voyage. 

The Virginians Jealous of the Maryland Colony. — 
The Virginians did not like Lord Baltimore’s plan of 
settling Maryland. They claimed that the land given 
to him belonged to Virginia, and furthermore they did 
not wish to have so near them a colony ruled by a Catholic. 
They had to be friendly, however, for the king had written 
a letter commanding them to be kind to the new colonists. 

Landing on the Potomac. —After a short stay at James¬ 
town, the Maryland colonists sailed up the Chesapeake 
Bay into the Potomac River, and landed on an island 
about thirty miles from the mouth on a bright day in 

1634. 

A large cross made of wood was at once set up, and 
around it the Christians knelt while the priest said mass. 
Then Leonard Calvert took possession of the country. 
“For our Savior and for our Sovereign Lord, the King of 
England.” 

Buying a Town from the Indians. — Before choosing a 
place for the settlement, Cal verf'Visited the native chiefs 
to tell them that the settlers had come as friends. One 
chief received him kindly and said that his people and the 
white men should share all things in common. Another 
would not at first express any opinion about the coming 
of the white men; but before Calvert left him the two 
were friends. 


MARYLAND 


99 


Sailing up the St. Mary’s River, which flows into the 
Potomac, Calvert came to a high bluff that overlooks 
the stream. There stood an Indian village, and he spent 
the night with the natives, the chief giving him his own 
sleeping mat. 

Calvert was so much pleased with the place that he 
decided to plant his settlement there, if the Indians 
would sell the land. Calling the natives together under 
a large mulberry tree, 



he bought the land and 
the village in exchange 
for cloth, axes, hoes, 
and other tools, to¬ 
gether with some gaudy 
trinkets. 


A Maryland Shilling 


Maryland Prosperous and Peaceful. — As the Indians 
had already begun their planting, it was agreed that they 
should keep half the village until their crop was harvested. 
In the meantime the white people were to live in the other 


half. 


The colonists at once began planting. Side by side 
the white men and the red men worked together, and 
together they went hunting. The squaws taught the 
white women to make corn bread and hominy. 

By the time winter came, the colonists had built com¬ 
fortable houses to live in, and had raised so much corn 
that they were able to send a shipload to New England 
to exchange for codfish. 

From the first Maryland was one of the most prosper¬ 
ous and most peaceful of the colonies. 



ICO 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 


The Eight Lords Proprietors of Carolina 

Puritans in Control in England.—It will be remembered 
that the Puritans in England had, on account of their 
persecution by the government, joined a political party 
opposed to the king. As most of its members were Puri¬ 
tans, it was known as the Puritan party. In the reign 
of Charles I, the Puritans secured control of parliament. 
A civil war between the Puritan party and the king’s 
party followed. Charles I was taken prisoner and be¬ 
headed. His young son, Prince Charles, had to flee from 
England to save his life. 

A republic, called the Commonwealth, was then set up 
in England, with Oliver Cromwell at its head. Crom¬ 
well ruled England until his death, nine years later. 
After Cromwell’s death, Prince Charles was brought back 
to England and put on his throne. He was known as 
Charles II. 

King Charles II Rewards His Friends. — Charles II 
was so glad to secure his throne that he showered all kinds 
of gifts upon the friends who had helped him. In 1663, 
he gave to eight of these friends the vast tract of land 
lying between Virginia and Florida, and known as Caro¬ 
lina. These eight men were to be lords and proprietors 
of this entire tract and were given the right to establish 
a colony here. 

North and South Carolina. — In 1653, ten years before 
Charles II gave Carolina to his eight friends, people from 
Virginia had begun to settle on Albemarle Sound. 

In 1670, the proprietors sent over from England colonists 


THE CAROLINAS 


IOX 


who settled on the Ashley River. This settlement was 
named Charles Town, in honor of the king. In 1680, the 
town was moved to the peninsula between the Ashley and 
the Cooper rivers, where the city of Charleston now 
stands. 

The proprietors did not intend to form two colonies in 
Carolina, but the settlement on the Albemarle Sound and 
the settlement on the Ashley 
River were so far apart that 
their governments had to be 
more or less separate. From 
the settlement on Albemarle 
Sound grew the colony of 
North Carolina, and from the 
settlement on the Ashley 
River grew the colony of 
South Carolina. 

Troubles with the In¬ 
dians, the Spaniards, and the 
French.—From the very first 
the two colonies of the Caro- 
linas had trouble with the 
Indians who would swoop 
down upon the settlements without warning, and kill 
men, women, and children. The settlers had to take turns 
at their work, one planting while the other stood guard 
with his gun. 

The colony of South Carolina was also exposed to at¬ 
tacks from the Spaniards who claimed the land as a part 
of Florida. Port Royal, a small settlement south of 









102 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 


Charleston, was destroyed by Spanish soldiers who came 
up from St. Augustine in Florida. 

Later, France and Spain, then at war with England, 
joined in sending a fleet with an army to capture Charles¬ 
ton, but the little colony fought so bravely that the in¬ 
vaders were driven away. 

Noblemen and Serfs for Carolina.—Besides their many 
war troubles, the colonies of North Carolina and South 
Carolina both suffered from bad government. 

The proprietors had drawn up a constitution, known as 
the Grand Model, for the government of Carolina. The 
constitution was entirely too big for the needs of the 
handful of settlers living in log cabins in the wilderness. 
It also interfered too much with the personal rights of 
the people. For example, a court should decide what 
kind of clothes men and women should wear and what 
kind of games children should play. 

One of the most absurd things about the Grand Model 
was that it provided for noblemen and serfs for the colony. 
There were to be two orders of nobility, “ langraves ” 
or earls and “ caciques ” or barons; and there were to be 
laborers, called “ leet-men ” and “ leet-women/’ who could 
not own land at all, and could not leave the land they 
rented without the consent of the owner. 

The proprietors appointed a few langraves and caciques, 
but the system soon died out. This is the only instance in 
the history of the English colonies in America where orders 
of nobility were established. 

Quarrels between the governors and the people were 
frequent because the governors tried to enforce the foolish 


THE CAROLINAS 


103 


constitution and to collect taxes that the colonists thought 
to be unjust. The colonists were not backward in assert¬ 
ing their rights and successfully resisted these acts of 
oppression. 

The Carolinas Become Royal Colonies.— Finally, South 
Carolina grew tired of the rule of the proprietors and rose 
in revolt. Though the revolution was bloodless, it was 



Charleston in 1673 
From an old print 


none the less complete. The colonists turned the governor 
out of office and asked George I, who was then king of 
Great Britain, to appoint the officials of South Carolina 
instead of allowing the proprietors to do so. The king 
granted their request and South Carolina became a royal 
province. 

Though the proprietors no longer ruled the colony, 
they continued to own it until 1729, when the king bought 




104 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 


their rights to all Carolina. The two colonies which, 
for many years, had really been separate, were then for¬ 
mally divided into North and South Carolina. 

Oglethorpe and the Georgia Colony 

How Debtors Suffered in Prisons. — Up to a hundred 
years ago it was legal and customary in England to put 
men in jail when they could not pay their debts. The 
same law existed in America, though it was not put into 
practice very much in this country. 

The jails, even in England, were filthy, loathsome places 
and, sometimes, debtors were thrown into cells with mur¬ 
derers, thieves, and other criminals. They often suffered 
horrible tortures, and deaths among them were frequent. 
The most distressing feature was that many of the 
prisoners in jail for debt were worthy men. 

Oglethorpe’s Plan for Relieving Debtors. — James 
Edward Oglethorpe, who had served as a soldier in the 
English army, was for many years a member of parliament. 
All the time that he was in parliament, Oglethorpe worked 
to have laws passed for the relief of the poor and dis¬ 
tressed. It grieved him that so many worthy men were 
serving as prisoners for debt, and he thought that a good 
way to relieve their pitiable condition would be to send 
them to America where they could begin life again. 

Aid of the King Sought. — With this idea in mind, 
Oglethorpe and some of his friends asked King George II 
to grant them a charter for planting a colony between the 
Carolinas and Florida. Oglethorpe told the king that 
such a colony would protect the growing settlements in 


GEORGIA 


io 5 

the Carolinas from the Spaniards. The king was wise 
enough to see the truth of this statement; so he granted 
the charter (1732). The colony was called Georgia in 
honor of the king. Oglethorpe and the other men who 
had asked for the charter were made trustees of the colony 
on condition that they should serve without pay. 

Aid of the Public Sought. — Oglethorpe then asked 
everybody who could to give money to the colony. Many 
were glad to help in such a 
good cause, and money was 
given by persons in every walk 
of life. Parliament also added 
a large sum, while Oglethorpe 
spent nearly all his private for¬ 
tune on the scheme. 

Oglethorpe Appointed Gov¬ 
ernor. — When enough money 
was raised to make a begin¬ 
ning, the trustees visited the 
jails and chose for colonists James Edward Oglethorpe 

debtors of good character. The trustees appointed Ogle¬ 
thorpe governor of the new colony, and he consented to 
take the office, but refused to accept pay for his services. 

There were those who thought Oglethorpe very foolish 
to give up his fine home and high position in society for a 
life of hardship and danger in a wilderness; but these 
were selfish people who could not understand the nobility 
of spirit that led this man to sacrifice himself for others. 

Settlement of Savannah.. — With one hundred and 
twenty colonists in one ship, the Anne , Oglethorpe crossed 



io6 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 


the ocean. Early in 1733, the settlers sailed up the Savan¬ 
nah River. On a high bluff overlooking the river, a few 
miles from its mouth, they began building a town which 
they named Savannah. 

Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. — While Oglethorpe urged 
on the work in the town as much as possible, he did not 
neglect to make friends with the Indians. For this pur¬ 
pose he paid a visit to Tomochichi, the chief of the tribe 
living nearest to Savannah, and through his influence 
made friends with all the neighboring tribes. 

A treaty was made by which the Indians gave to the 
English a large tract of land along the coast, and Ogle¬ 
thorpe agreed to see that the white men dealt justly with 
the Indians. In token of the treaty the chiefs gave Ogle¬ 
thorpe eight buckskins, one for each tribe, saying that 
they were the best they had to give. 

Then Tomochichi presented Oglethorpe with a buffalo 
skin, saying, “ Here is a buffalo skin adorned with the 
head and feathers of an eagle. The eagle signifies speed, 
the buffalo strength. The English are swift as an eagle 
and strong as a buffalo. But the feathers of an eagle 
are soft, and signify kindness; the skin of the buffalo is 
a covering, and signifies protection. Let these remind 
them to be kind to us and to protect us.” 

Oglethorpe’s Influence over the Indians. — No man 
ever had greater influence over the Indians than Ogle¬ 
thorpe. He was so kind and just to them that they soon 
learned to love and trust him. If a white man did them 
a wrong, they would not kill him or make war upon the 
colony, as Indians would often do in the case of other 


GEORGIA 


107 


colonies. Instead, they would report the matter to Ogle¬ 
thorpe and let him settle it. They were always satisfied 
with his decision. 

It was most fortunate for the Georgia colony that 
Oglethorpe won the friendship of the Indians. Spain 
claimed that the land upon which Oglethorpe and his 
colonists had settled was a part of Florida, and demanded 



that they should leave. Of course, Oglethorpe refused. 
Thereupon the Spaniards in Florida tried to persuade the 
Georgia Indians to attack the English, hoping thus to 
destroy the young colony. The love of the Indians for 
Oglethorpe was too great, however, for the Spaniards to 
overcome. 

The Colonists Well Cared For. — Oglethorpe also took 
good care of the colonists. He made them work, but he 
did so because he knew that their safety depended upon 
their having houses to live in and forts to protect them 
from the Spaniards in Florida. He made them do no work 









io8 


NEIGHBORS OF VIRGINIA 


that he did not share. Often he slept in a tent or by a 
camp-fire, while his men were comfortably housed. 

As more settlers came over, Oglethorpe built other 
towns besides Savannah, and on the islands toward Flor¬ 
ida he erected a number of forts. 

Spaniards Invade Georgia. — War having broken out 
between Spain and England, the Spaniards planned to 
drive the English out of Georgia and the Carolinas by 
sending a large army up through Georgia. 

In 1742, the Spaniards came. With more than five 
thousand men and fifty ships they landed on St. Simon’s 
Island, on the coast of Georgia, to attack the town of 
Frederica. To meet this strong force Oglethorpe had 
only eight hundred men, including Indians, and two 
ships. 

In order to reach Frederica, the invaders had to march 
over a narrow road where not more than three men could 
walk abreast. As the Spaniards came up the narrow 
pass they were caught in ambush. Oglethorpe and his 
men, hidden in the forest, poured volley after volley 
upon them, killing or wounding many. The others fled 
in confusion and retreated to Florida. Oglethorpe cap¬ 
tured cannon and great quantities of ammunition and 
provisions. After this the Spaniards never again in¬ 
vaded Georgia. 

Georgia Becomes a Royal Colony. — In the year fol¬ 
lowing the defeat of the Spaniards, Oglethorpe returned 
to England where he lived until a very old age. Because 
of Oglethorpe’s unselfish devotion to others, his is one 
of the names most cherished in America to-day. 



QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


109 


On account of its growth Georgia became too large for 
the trustees to take care of. In 1752, they turned the 
colony over to the king, who 
then governed it through 
officials whom he appointed. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

I. Why did Lord Baltimore wish 
to plant a colony in America ? 

2. Tell how the colony came to be 
called Maryland. 3. What rights 
were given Lord Baltimore by the 
charter? 4. Why did not the 
Jamestown colonists like the plan of 
settling Maryland? 5. How did 
Leonard Calvert take possession of the country? 6. Tell about 
Calvert’s visits to the Indians. 7. How was land obtained for the 
settlement ? 8. Describe the life of the Indians and the settlers during 

the first summer. 9. What religious rights were granted in Maryland ? 
10. Compare these rights with those in the Puritans’ colony. 

II. Tell about the civil war in England. 12. How did Charles II 

reward some of his friends? 13. From what did the colony of North 
Carolina grow ? The colony of South Carolina ? 14. Tell of the early 

history of the Carolinas. 15. What may be said of the only two orders 
of nobility in America? 16. Tell about the troubles between the 
settlers of South Carolina and the Spaniards and the French. 17. How 
did the Carolinas become royal colonies ? 

18. Describe the suffering of debtors in the English prisons. 19. Who 
was James Edward Oglethorpe; and why did he wish to plant a colony 
in America? 20. Why was King George II willing to give him a 
charter? 21. What town was founded in 1733? Where? 22. What 
sort of man was Tomochichi? 23. What may be said of Oglethorpe’s 
influence over the Indians? 24. Relate the events of the Spanish 
invasion of Georgia. 25. Why should the character of Oglethorpe be 
admired ? 



Seal of the Georgia Colony 


CHAPTER X 


THE MIDDLE COLONIES 

Peter Stuyvesant Surrenders New 
Netherland 

Growth of New Netherland Continues Slow. — While 

the English colonies were growing rapidly, the growth of 
the Dutch colony of New Netherland continued to be slow. 
Although New Amsterdam was still a small village, it had 
become a place of some importance; for it was situated 
on the best harbor in America. The fine furs secured 
in the valleys of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers were 
shipped to Europe from this port. Traders from many 
different countries of Europe met at New Amsterdam. 

Peter Stuyvesant Comes to New Netherland. — The 
settlers of New Netherland had suffered so long from the 
harsh rule of other governors sent over by the Dutch West 
India Company, that they were glad when they heard 
that Peter Stuyvesant, whom they knew as a brave soldier, 
was coming to govern them. As the ship bearing Stuy¬ 
vesant entered the harbor of New Amsterdam (1647), 
the people greeted it with loud cheers and used up nearly 
all the powder in the town in firing salutes. 

When he landed, Stuyvesant, instead of receiving the 
enthusiastic welcome of the people in a friendly way, 
marched through the town “ like a peacock, with great 


no 


NEW NETHERLAND 


III 


state and pomp.” The citizens who had come to pay 
him their respects were made to stand bareheaded in 
the sun while he sat comfortably in his chair with his 
hat on. 

It is said that after listening to the speeches of welcome, 
the only promise he would make the people was, “ I shall 
govern you as a father his 
children.” 

Stuyvesant’s Stern Rule. — 

Stuyvesant must have had stern 
notions of a fathers govern¬ 
ment, for he ruled with an 
iron hand. He was a bluff old 
soldier, who did not think the 
people had sense enough to help 
in the government. He was 
hard-headed and impatient, and 
would have his own way about 
everything. For any one to 
appeal to the mother country, Holland, over his head 
was to his mind treason. To one person he said, “ If I 
thought there was any danger of your trying an appeal, 
I would hang you this minute to the tallest tree on the 
island.” 

“ Father Silver Leg.” — It must not be thought, how¬ 
ever, that Stuyvesant was a bad man. He had the welfare 
of the people at heart, and wished to do what he thought 
was right. He made many rules that were of benefit 
to the colony, and under them the people did well. He 
treated the Indians justly, and they became his friends. 



Peter Stuyvesant 


112 


THE MIDDLE COLONIES 


Stuyvesant had lost a leg in war, so he wore a wooden 
leg, around which were silver bands. The Dutchmen 
nicknamed him “ Old Silver Leg / 7 but the Indians affec¬ 
tionately called him “ Father Silver Leg . 77 

Swedes Settle Delaware. — Some years before Stuy¬ 
vesant came to America, a company formed in Sweden 
had sent out a party of colonists. Sailing up Delaware 
Bay, they had built a fort on the Delaware River on the 
site of the present city of Wilmington. The Swedes called 
their settlement New Sweden. 

As the Swedes had settled on land claimed by the Dutch, 
Stuyvesant attacked the feeble Swedish garrison, over¬ 
powered it, and made New Sweden a part of New Nether- 
land. 

The English Overrunning the Dutch Claim. — In the 

meantime, New Englanders who swarmed into Connecti¬ 
cut, which it will be remembered the Dutch claimed, 
had pushed their settlements over to Long Island, which 
the Dutch also claimed. Stuyvesant fussed and fumed 
against the English, but he could do nothing, as his forts 
were weak and his soldiers few. He wrote to Holland for 
troops, saying, “ We declare it is wholly out of our power 
to keep the sinking ship longer . 77 He pleaded in vain, 
for Holland sent him no help. 

England Covets New Netherland. —As long as Holland 
owned a colony between the English settlements, England 
could not unite her colonies. Moreover, the English 
coveted the fine harbor of New Amsterdam and the fur 
trade that passed through it. Therefore, since England 
had long claimed the territory included in New Nether- 


NEW NETHERLAND 


113 

land, Charles II resolved to make good the claim by 
seizing the Dutch colony. 

The fact that England and Holland were at peace made 
no difference to Charles II. First, he gave New Nether- 
land to his brother, the Duke of York, who afterward be¬ 
came King James II. 

Then, in 1664, he sent 
a large fleet and army 
to capture the colony. 

New Netherland 
Given Up to the Eng¬ 
lish. — When the fleet 
entered the harbor of 
New Amsterdam, the 
town was summoned 
to surrender. The 
leading men of New 
Amsterdam, knowing 
that the town could 
not be held against 
such a strong force, 
advised Stuyvesant 
not to fight. Most of the people had grown tired of Dutch 
rule, and were willing that the English should govern 
them; but the brave old Stuyvesant, purple with rage, 
stumped around on his wooden leg, refusing to surrender. 

The English commander, who was still with his ships 
some distance down the harbor, sent a second summons 
for Stuyvesant to surrender, saying, “ I shall come foi 
your answer to-morrow with ships and soldiers.” 








THE MIDDLE COLONIES 


114 

Still the valiant Dutchman held out. But when 
women and children in tears crowded about him begging 
him to surrender, and even his own son joined with the 
other citizens in advising him to give up, the old soldier 
finally consented. “ Well, let it be so,” he said with 
a heavy heart, “ but I had rather be carried to my 
grave.” 

A white flag was raised over the fort of New Amster¬ 
dam in token of surrender. The Dutch soldiers marched 



New Amsterdam in 1665 
After Van der Donck’s New Netherland 


out, and the English soldiers marched in. The Dutch 
colony became an English colony. 

New Netherland Becomes New York. — The names 
of both the colony and its chief town were changed to 
New York, in honor of their English master. Stuyvesant 
and the Dutch settlers stayed in the colony, and English¬ 
men then began coming in even greater numbers. Under 
English rule New York soon became prosperous, though 
many of the English governors were as objectionable as 
the Dutch governors had been. 



PENNSYLVANIA 


US 


William Penn Founds Pennsylvania 

The Quakers. — Of all the religious sects that were 
persecuted in England at the time of the settlement of 
America, the most ill-treated was that of the Quakers, 
or Friends, as they called themselves. 

The Quakers at that time came mainly from the poorer 
classes and had many peculiar customs. Because of their 
poverty they were held in contempt, 
and because of their peculiar customs 
they were ridiculed. Contempt and 
ridicule soon led to cruel persecution. 

A Quaker, because he believed all men 

to be equal, would not take off his hat 

to any one, or call any one by a title. 

In speaking to another he always used 

“thou” and “thee” instead of “you”; 

he would not take an oath, even in the 

courts, and was opposed to war or any 

kind of strife. According to the rules of A Quaker of the 
. . n i I 7 TH Century 

the sect, preachers were not allowed to 
receive pay for their services. The Quakers had no 
churches, but held their meetings in the open fields, in 
the streets, or in market places. 

Persecution of Quakers.—Laws were passed in England 
forbidding the Quakers to hold meetings, but they contin¬ 
ued to do so, and as a consequence they were often arrested. 
To punish them for holding meetings against the law, they 
were flogged, put in the pillory, or thrown into jail. Even 
women and children were treated in this cruel manner. 





THE MIDDLE COLONIES 


116 

William Penn. — The greatest of all the Quakers was 
William Penn. He did not come from the poorer classes. 
His father was a rich man and an admiral who stood 
high in the favor of King Charles II and his brother, the 
Duke of York. 

From early childhood Penn was very religious, but he 
did not like the Church of England to which his father 
and most of the great men at court belonged. His father 
wished him to be a statesman and sent him to college at 
Oxford. While he was a student there, he attended a 
Quaker meeting and was much moved by the eloquence 
of the preacher. From that time he drifted further and 
further from the Church of England. 

Penn Becomes a Quaker. — Penn’s father, the admiral, 
was much disappointed that his son, for whom he had 
such high ambition, should favor the despised Quaker 
sect. He sent the boy first to France and then to Ireland 
to keep him from the influence of the Quakers. In Ire¬ 
land, young Penn again met the preacher who had so 
affected him while at college. Unable to resist longer 
the promptings of his heart, he became a Quaker. 

The admiral sent for Penn to come home, and father 
and son again quarreled. As the use of “ thee ” and 
‘ thou ” was considered very disrespectful, the old ad¬ 
miral said to his son, “ You may thee and thou other folk 
as much as you like, but don’t you dare to thee and thou 
the king, or the Duke of York, or me.” 

Young Penn declined to promise not to thee and thou 
these three personages, so his father drove him from 
home. 


PENNSYLVANIA 


117 


Penn a Quaker Preacher. — Penn then went about the 
country, staying with friends and preaching the Quaker 
faith. His mother in the meantime secretly sent him' 
money. He was several times put in prison, and his old 
father was always willing to help him out, though still 
unwilling to forgive him. 

Disappointed as he was in 
Penn’s course, the admiral 
loved his son dearly, and 
it is pleasant to know that 
they at last became friends. 

On his deathbed the 
admiral called Penn to him 
and said, “ Son William, 
let nothing in this world 
tempt you to wrong your 
conscience. ’ ’ The admiral 
had at last learned, what 
his son already knew, that 
the highest duty of a man is to follow his own conscience. 

Quakers Buy New Jersey. — The death of the admiral 
left Penn rich, and he decided to use his wealth in provid¬ 
ing a refuge in America for Quakers. The Duke of York 
had given the part of the colony of New York lying be¬ 
tween the Hudson and the Delaware rivers to two of 
his friends. The new owners had sent over a party of 
Englishmen who had settled Elizabethtown. This colony 
became New Jersey. 

Penn and other rich Quakers bought New Jersey for 
the purpose of making there a Quaker settlement, and a 



William Penn 
At the age of 22 ' 


n8 


THE MIDDLE COLONIES 


considerable number of the persecuted sect came to this 
colony. Some years later the Quakers sold New Jersey 
to the king, thus making it a royal colony. 

Penn and King Charles II. — In the meantime, how¬ 
ever, Penn had established a larger colony in America for 
Quakers. In order to establish the larger colony it was 
necessary to secure territory not yet occupied by white 
men. Penn, therefore, asked King Charles II for a grant 
of such lands. Now the king liked Penn both for his own 
and for his father’s sake, and the two were on very friendly 
terms. The king, who was called the “ Merry Monarch ” 
because he was so fond of fun, always had a joke for Penn. 
One day on meeting him the king took off his hat, while 
Penn, according to the Quaker custom, kept his hat on. 

Said Penn to the king, “ Why dost thou remove thy 
hat, Friend Charles? ” 

The king laughingly replied, “ Because, wherever I am, 
it is customary for only one to remain covered.” 

But Penn had another claim on Charles besides the 
bond of friendship. The king had borrowed a large sum 
of money from Penn’s father and had never returned it. 
Penn asked the king to give him in payment of this debt 
a tract of land in America for a colony. ‘Charles was 
delighted to grant the request, for by giving away land 
for which he had no use, he could not only pay a large 
debt but could do his friend a favor as well. 

The King Gives Pennsylvania to Penn. — In 1681, the 
king gave to Penn the land lying north of Maryland and 
west of the Delaware River. The Merry Monarch named 
the country Pennsylvania — “ Penn’s Woods ” — in 


PENNSYLVANIA ng 

honor of the old admiral. In order for Pennsylvania to 
have an outlet to the sea, the Duke of York gave Penn the 
colony of Delaware, which was still a part of New York. 

Over all the land given to Penn, Charles, of course, 
was still to be king, and in token of the king's sovereignty 
Penn was to send him every year two beaver skins. 

Rapid Settlement of Pennsylvania. — In making up 
his colony Penn welcomed any settler of good character, 
but he especially wished Quakers to go to Pennsylvania. 



Reduced Facsimile of Part of the Royal Deed Given to Penn 

His plans for the colony were good and generous. Settlers 
were to own their homes; every man in the colony was 
to help to make its laws; and each was to worship God 
as he pleased. Truly the scheme was what Penn called 
it — “ a holy experiment." 

William Penn was held in such high esteem, especially 
among his own sect, that his colony at once became 
popular. During the first year about three thousand 
settlers, most of whom were Quakers, came over. Houses 
could not be built fast enough, and many of the settlers 
had to spend the first winter in caves dug in the banks of 
the Delaware River. 

Philadelphia. — The next year (1682) Penn himself 
came to Pennsylvania. The settlers gave a warm greet- 












120 


THE MIDDLE COLONIES 



ing to their proprietor and governor. Penn laid out 
the streets of a town that he wished to make the chief 
city of the colony, and called it Philadelphia — the City 
of Brotherly Love. 

Penn’s Treaty with the Indians. — In drawing up his 
plan for his “ holy experiment,” Penn had not forgotten 


The Treaty Elm, Philadelphia 
From an old print 

the Indians, for he arranged to pay them for their land. 
He was so desirous that the Indians should always have 
justice that he provided in his plan for governing the 
colony that every dispute between a settler and an Indian 
should be tried by a jury of whom half should be settlers 
and half natives. 

Soon after his arrival in America, Penn met with Indian 



QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


121 


chiefs under a spreading elm tree and made with them a 
treaty of friendship. As a great man has said, this is 
“ the only treaty between savages and Christians that 
was not sworn to and that was never broken.” Quakers 
and Indians alike kept their pledge of friendship. 

The Old Age of Penn. — Pennsylvania grew more 
rapidly than any other colony, though, in spite of this 
rapid growth, Penn had to use his own money to keep up 
the government. Once Penn wrote sadly, “ O Pennsyl¬ 
vania, what hast thou cost me! ” 

In his old age, with his health gone and his fortune 
vanished, Penn was imprisoned for debt. Yet his life 
must be counted as a glorious triumph, for it brought 
religious liberty to thousands of oppressed Christians and 
by its noble example gave to the whole world a wonderful 
lesson in brotherly love. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Describe the growth of New Netherland. 2. What kind of man 
was Peter Stuyvesant? 3. How was Delaware settled? 4. Give 
an account of the capture of New Netherland by the English. 5. Com¬ 
pare the growth of the colony under English rule with its growth undei 
Dutch rule. 

6. What may be said of the Quakers and their persecution? 
7. Who was William Penn? How did he become a Quaker? 8. Tell 
about his quarrel with his father, and how the two finally made friends. 
9. State how New Jersey was settled. 10. How did the Merry 
Monarch treat Penn? n. How did William Penn get the land for 
Pennsylvania? 12. Describe the rapid settlement of Pennsylvania. 
13. What city was laid out by Penn? 14- Tell how Penn and his 
colonists treated the natives. 15. What was remarkable about the 
treaty Penn made with the Indians? 16. What hardship did Penn 
suffer in his old age? 17. Why must his life be counted a success? 


CHAPTER XI 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 

Industrial and Commercial Conditions 

Population of the English Colonies. — By the year 
1700 the population of the English colonies in America 
had reached about two hundred and seventy-five thou¬ 
sand. When we think of the one hundred and five million 
people, or more, now in the United States, the number 
of inhabitants of the colonies in 1700 seems very small. 
However, when we remember that less than one hundred 
years had passed since the first permanent English settle¬ 
ment in America was planted in Virginia, and that crossing 
the Atlantic and building homes in the new country were 
still full of danger, we realize that the English colonies 
had made wonderful growth. 

As yet the English settlements extended inland such 
a short distance from the coast that they lay like a narrow 
fringe along the Atlantic Ocean. Just back of this narrow 
fringe lived the Indians. Farther to the north and west 
were the French and to the south the Spaniards. 

The English in the Majority. — The majority of the 
white people in every colony, except New York, were of 
English birth or descent. In New York there were 
still more Dutchmen than Englishmen, though the English 
were rapidly gaining in numbers. 


122 


INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS 123 



The Colonies in 1734 





















































124 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


In some of the colonies there were small numbers of 
immigrants from countries in Europe other than England, 
Besides the Dutch in New York, that colony also con¬ 
tained Huguenots and Germans and a few Jews. In 
Pennsylvania and Delaware were Dutch, Germans, French, 
Swedes, Finns, Welsh, and Scotch-Irish. In North Caro¬ 
lina were Huguenots, Swiss, Moravians, and Germans. 
More Huguenots came to South Carolina than to any 
other colony. Later, when Georgia was settled, Sal- 
burgers, Moravians, and Scotch Highlanders were among 
the first to come to that colony. 

Fishing and Manufacturing in New England. — In 
New England, except in the valleys of the few large rivers, 
the soil is stony and infertile. The farms in that sec¬ 
tion were small, and many 
of the people took to the sea 
for a living. They caught 
cod off their own coast and 
the coast of Newfoundland, 
and they went as far as the 
Arctic Ocean fishing for 
whales. The chief products 
of New England were dried 
cod, fish oil, timber, hay, 
grain, and cattle. 

New Englanders had made 
a beginning in manufacturing. There, as everywhere 
else in the world, manufacturing was done entirely by 
hand, and most of it was done in the home. A few es¬ 
tablishments had been started, however, for making linen, 














INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS 125 

woolen goods, hats, paper, and furniture of the simplest 
kind. 

Agriculture in the South. —In the South, where the 
climate is mild and the soil fertile, agriculture was the 
main occupation. Large plantations lay along the rivers. 
Often they were many miles apart, with great forests 
between. Tobacco was the chief crop in Virginia and 
Maryland, yet some wheat, barley, and corn were grown. 



Carrying Tobacco to the Wharf in Virginia 


In North Carolina, while the growing of tobacco was im¬ 
portant, the people found profitable trade in lumber, 
turpentine, and tar. Rice and indigo were the chief 
crops of South Carolina and Georgia. In both the Caro- 
linas cattle were raised, and in all the Southern colonies 
there was some trade in furs. Cotton, which is now the 
largest crop of the South, was then very little grown in 
America. Except for the few things that could be made 
on the plantation, manufactured goods used in the South 
were purchased from England. 

Occupations in the Middle Colonies. — The farms in 
the Middle colonies were larger than those of New Eng¬ 
land, yet not nearly so large as the plantations of the 


126 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


South. Wheat was the staple crop, though almost every 
kind of farm product was raised. Nowhere in the English 
colonies were to be found furs of greater value than those 
obtained from the interior of New York and Pennsylvania. 

There was some manufacturing in the Middle colonies, 
but most of the manufactured articles were brought over 
from England. 

Colonial Commerce. — The colonies engaged in a lively 
trade with one another. They also shipped many of 
their products to the West Indies and to England and 
other countries of Europe. Practically all the trade 
between the colonies, and much of the trade with foreign 
countries, was carried on in ships built in New Eng¬ 
land. 

Very soon after the settlement of the Plymouth and 
Massachusetts colonies New Englanders began building 
ships. By 1700 shipping had become as important an in¬ 
dustry in New England as the fisheries. 

Slavery. — In 1619, the year that the first legislature 
in America met in Jamestown and the first shipload of 
women came to Virginia, a Dutch vessel brought to James¬ 
town a few negroes from Africa and sold them to the 
Virginia planters. From this beginning slavery spread 
to all the English colonies. At that time few persons 
thought that slavery was wrong. 

Slaves were never numerous in the Northern colonies, 
for the climate of the North and the kind of crops grown 
there made slavery in that region unprofitable. Most 
of the slaves in the North were employed as house servants. 
In the South, on account of the climate and the crops, 


INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS 127 

slave labor could be used to advantage and slaves were 
more numerous. 

Although slavery did not flourish in the North, many 
New Englanders engaged in the slave trade. The traders 
sailed to Africa, where negroes were bought from the 
native chiefs, or forci¬ 
bly seized. The negro 
men and women were 
then brought to Amer¬ 
ica, and sold to the 
Southern planters for 
slaves. 

Redemptioners and 
Indentured Servants. 

— Besides the negro 
slaves there were 
white servants who 
were bound to work 
for their masters for 
a certain period of 
years. These servants were of two kinds — redemp¬ 
tioners and indentured servants. 

Redemptioners were men and women who wished to 
come to America but were too poor to pay for their pas¬ 
sage. They voluntarily sold their labor for a period of 
years to colonists who, in return, paid the expenses of 
the voyage across the ocean. As a rule the redemptioners 
were of good character and, after serving their term of 
labor, became highly respected inhabitants. 

Indentured servants were usually criminals sent over 


Redemptioners. 

THERE flill remain, on board the {hip Aurora 
from Amlterdam, about 18 palfcngtrs, aroonaft 
whom are, ® 

Servant girls, gardeners,, butchers, luafons, 
• ugar bakers, bread bakers, 1 fhoernaker, x Elver 
fmith, k leather dreffer, 1 tobacconifl-, 1 pa£hy 
cook, and fome a. lirde acquainted with waiting 
on families, as well as farming and tending horfes, 
&c- They are all in. good health. Any perfoo 
d euro us of beiog accommodated in the above 
branch es will pleafe fpeedily to apply to 

Captain JOHN BOWLES, 

5 n the fir earn, off EeU’sPoint: 

Who offers for Sale, 

80 Iron-bound Water Calks 
1 chefl elegant Fowling Pieces, fingle and dou¬ 
ble barrelled 

iy,ooo Dutch Brick, and 
Sundry fbips Provisions. 

July 14. dff;€94t 

Advertisement of Servants for Sale 


128 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


from England. The colonists paid the government for 
their labor for a term of years. Sometimes indentured 
servants were men or women, or even children, kidnapped 
in England and sold to the colonists. If a redemptioner 
or an indentured servant attempted to escape from his 
master, his term of service was made longer. 

Social Life in Early Colonial Times 

Life in the South. — Since agriculture was the main 
occupation in the South, most of the people of that section 

lived on the plantations. 
Visiting was common, 
and with neighbors so 
far apart, often a visit 
lasted for days. Stran¬ 
gers were given such 
cordial welcome at every 
home, that the Southern 
planter became noted 
for his hospitality. 

Dancing was the fa¬ 
vorite amusement for 
the young people, who 
would gather from miles 
around at the commodious home of some genial host and 
make the evening merry. Outdoor sports, such as horse¬ 
racing, cock-fighting, and wrestling, were very popular. 

The capital of a Southern colony during the meeting 
of the assembly was the scene of much gayety. All the 
prominent families of the colony then gathered there to 



A Virginia Mansion Party 




SOCIAL LIFE IN EARLY COLONIAL TIMES 


129 


attend the receptions of the governor, and the rounds of 
balls and tea parties. 

Life in New England. — In New England the people 
lived in villages built close together. Consequently, 
there was no need for much entertaining. Besides, the 
Puritans looked upon most pleasures as 
sinful, and they forbade all amusements 
except such as corn-husking bees and quilt¬ 
ing parties. 

On Sunday, or the Sabbath as the Puri¬ 
tans called the day, no work of any kind 
was done. No one could walk the streets 
except to go to church, and everybody was 
made to go to church. 
The prayers and sermon 
lasted for hours. Dur¬ 
ing the rest of the day 
every person, old and 
young, was expected tc 
think only of religious 
matters. 

Boston, Newport, and 
Old South Church, Boston New Haven were the 

principal towns of New England, and, as their inhabitants 
were gaining wealth, many handsome homes adorned their 
streets. 

Life in the Middle Colonies. — People from so many 



nations gathered in the town of New York for the pur¬ 
pose of trading that many different languages might be 
heard on its streets. Many of the Dutch customs still 






13 ° 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


prevailed. The houses were built, as in Holland, of yellow 
brick, and the floors were covered with white sand. 

Both in the town and in the rural districts there were 
many amusements. The anniversaries that the Dutch 
are so fond of observing, such as New Year’s Day, Easter, 
and Christmas, were celebrated with much merry-making. 

When Penn founded Philadelphia, he laid out the streets 


regularly, like a checker¬ 
board. The town pre¬ 
sented a neat appearance 
with its brick residences 
set back from the street 
amid gardens and or¬ 
chards. The Quakers, 
whether they lived in 



An Old-time Stagecoach 


town or in the country, were a sober, thrifty sect that 
frowned upon worldly pleasures. 

How the Colonists Dressed.—Men wore knee breeches, 
long stockings, and low shoes with large buckles. Fashion¬ 
able men and women had garments of finest material. 
The plainer folk contented themselves with homespun. 
Laborers wore breeches of leather or buckskin. 

Traveling in Early Colonial Days. — Traveling was 
very difficult. The roads were bad, and few were fit for 
heavy vehicles. In the interior they were mere bridle 
paths. On account of the miserable condition of the 
roads, the most popular mode of travel in the Northern 
colonies, when not on foot, was horseback, though a 
light two-wheeled vehicle, known as the sulky, was some¬ 
times used. 




SOCIAL LIFE IN EARLY COLONIAL TIMES 131 


In the South, travel was mostly done by water, because 
the rivers in that section are usually deep for great dis¬ 
tances from the sea. In a small sailing vessel, known as 
a sloop, the Southerners went to church, paid social visits, 
or made business trips. 

Few Towns Established in the South. — It was because 
the rivers were navigable 
that there were so few 
towns in the South. The 
plantations lay along the 
river banks, and the plant¬ 
er did his trading at his 
own door. On his planta¬ 
tion he had a wharf where 
ships unloaded the goods 
from the outside world 
and reloaded his products. 

Charleston, which later 
became the only impor¬ 
tant town in the South, 
had not long been settled and was then only a small place. 

How Children Got Their Education. — Every town in 
New England had a public school. Though these schools 
would be considered very inferior when compared with 
the splendid schools that we find all over the country to¬ 
day, they were excellent schools for the times. The 
sessions were usually two months in the winter and two 
months in the summer. 

There were not many schools in the Middle colonies 
nor in the South. The few schools that were in these 



A School in New England 





132 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


sections were usually taught by ministers and were at¬ 
tended only by children whose parents could pay the 
tuition. The children of the well-to-do were often in¬ 
structed by a tutor who lived with the family. Sons of 
very rich men in the South were sometimes sent to Eng¬ 
land to be educated. 

Harvard College, in Massachusetts, was established 
in 1636; William and Mary College, in Virginia, in 1693 ; 

and Yale College, in Con¬ 
necticut, in 1701. These 
institutions are still in 
existence. 

Punishment for Crime. 

— For many offenses not 
now considered very seri¬ 
ous, persons were then 
put to death, and, for 
many other acts not now 
considered offenses at all, 
persons were often severely punished. It was commonly 
believed that if a convicted person was punished as 
publicly as possible it would prevent others from com¬ 
mitting the same crime. Hence, for some offenses the 
culprit was made to wear upon his breast a placard, bear¬ 
ing the initial letter of his crime; for other offenses he was 
placed in the pillory or the stocks erected on the most 
public street; and for still others his forehead was 
branded, or his ear clipped. 

Religious Differences Cause Injustice. — Persecution 
on account of religion was not common in America as 



SOCIAL LIFE IN EARLY COLONIAL TIMES Y33 

it was in the Old World, for one of the chief reasons 
for people coming to this country had been to escape 
persecution. 

Still, there had been persecution, more or less severe, 
in many of the colonies. For instance, Virginia at one 
time fined or put in the pillory Catholics and Quakers. 

Religious persecution was extreme only in Massachu¬ 
setts, where it will be remembered the Puritan Church 
controlled the government. Between 1659 an d 1661 
four Quakers, one a woman, were hanged in Boston be¬ 
cause they refused to leave the colony. 

By 1700 all persecution of a cruel nature had stopped, 
but there was still a good deal of religious injustice. 
Most of the colonies levied taxes to support a particular 
church. It made no difference whether a person be¬ 
longed to that church or not; he had to pay the tax. 
Some colonies allowed only the members of a particular 
church to vote or to hold public office. 

Witchcraft. — Superstition lingered throughout the 
world, even among the intelligent classes. One of the 
commonest superstitions was the belief in witches. Per¬ 
sons convicted of witchcraft had been punished in Vir¬ 
ginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and other colonies. 

In 1692, the witchcraft craze, in its most violent form, 
seized upon Salem, a town in Massachusetts. The colony 
had been visited by disastrous fires, Indian wars, and 
epidemics of smallpox, and the people of Salem had be¬ 
come convinced that these troubles were due to the evil 
spell of witches. More than a hundred men and women 
were arrested upon the charge of being witches. Of these, 


134 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


nineteen were put to. death. Most of the evidence against 
the victims was given by little children, who afterward 
confessed that they had sworn falsely. The craze did 
not last long, and, when the people of Salem came to their 
senses, they released all the supposed witches who were 
still held in jail. 

Relations with the Mother. Country 

The King and His Unworthy Officials. — The colonists 
were very proud of being Englishmen and were loyal to 
the mother country; yet they often had cause to complain 
of the way they were treated by the government in Eng¬ 
land. 

Although the colonies were generally allowed to manage 
their home affairs through their assemblies, the king had 
the right to veto laws passed by the colonies. Sometimes 
he vetoed a law because it prevented selfish persons in 
England from making money out of the colonists. 

Many of the governors and other officials that the king 
sent over to America were incompetent or dishonest. 
They gave the colonists much trouble, and would have 
given more had it not been for the fact that the assem¬ 
blies paid their salaries and could hold them in check by 
refusing to do so. 

Laws of Navigation and Trade. — We have already 
learned about the profitable trade that the colonies had 
built up with one another and with the West Indies and 
certain countries of Europe. We have learned also that 
manufacturing had been established in America. Most 
of this trade and manufacturing was illegal, for England 


RELATIONS WITH THE MOTHER COUNTRY 135 

had passed laws to forbid it. It was England’s plan to 
control all American commerce for the benefit of English 
.merchants and manufacturers. 

Laws were passed compelling Americans to sell to Eng¬ 
lish merchants nearly everything they produced, although 
they could often have had better prices elsewhere. They 
were required to buy from English merchants nearly 
everything they needed, even when they could have bought 
goods cheaper from other countries. These merchants 
could thus buy from the colonists at a low price and sell 
to them at a high price. 

To force the colonists to buy all manufactured articles 
from English manufacturers, laws were passed forbidding 
them to manufacture anything. So rigid were these laws 
that a distinguished English statesman said that Ameri¬ 
cans could not legally manufacture a nail for a horseshoe. 

The Laws Evaded. — On account of the long years of 
warfare between Great Britain and France, the mother 
country was unable to enforce strictly these laws of navi¬ 
gation and trade, as they were called. In fact, the 
colonists paid little attention to them and traded very 
much where they pleased. The attempts that were made 
to enforce the laws caused much irritation in America. 

Colonial Policies of England, France, and Spain. — In 
considering the policy of England toward her American 
colonies two things should be borne in mind. First, the 
English colonial policy, though it was unjust, was better 
than that of other countries at that time. England al¬ 
lowed her colonies a great deal of self-government, and 
in this and in other ways, she treated her colonies more 


136 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


generously than France or Spain treated theirs. Second, 
although parliament had taken from the king much of 
his power, that body did not, as it does to-day, represent 
all the English people. It represented only the upper 
class and most of its laws were passed for the benefit of 
that class. The wishes of the great mass of people had 


little influence then upon 
parliament. 



Bacon’s Rebellion. —Sir 
William Berkeley, whom 
Charles II appointed gov¬ 
ernor of Virginia, made 
himself very unpopular 
with Virginians by the 
despotic way in which he 
conducted his office. One 
of the things that greatly 


Bacon and Berkeley 


outraged the people was that he made very little effort 
to protect outlying settlements from Indian attacks. 

Nathaniel Bacon, who lived on the frontier near the 
present site of the city of Richmond, made up his mind 
that, if the governor would not stop these savage raids, 
he himself would, and he led a party of neighbors against 
the Indians. As Bacon had acted without his consent, 
the governor declared him a rebel. Many of the colonists 
took sides with Bacon, and a civil war, known as Bacon’s 
Rebellion, broke out (1676). Bacon’s little army de¬ 
feated the governor’s forces. Berkeley fled from James¬ 
town, and Bacon’s men burned the town to keep the gov¬ 
ernor from getting possession of it again. 



RELATIONS WITH THE MOTHER COUNTRY 137 

In his hour of triumph, Bacon died of a fever. After 
the death of its leader, Berkeley quickly put down the 
rebellion. Once more in power, the governor took re¬ 
venge by hanging more than twenty of Bacon’s followers. 
Charles II was shocked at Berkeley’s brutal course, for 
Charles, though he made a very undesirable king because 
he was too fond of his own pleasure, was more kind hearted 
than most monarchs of his time. King Charles said, 
“ The old fool has put to death more people in that naked 
country than I did here for the murder of my father.” 
He removed Berkeley from the governorship, and Berke 
ley, crushed because of the way his king had treated him, 
died soon afterward. 

The New England Confederation. — In 1643, the Nevi 
England colonies, with the exception of Rhode Island, 
formed a union for the protection of their interests. It 
was the first union of American colonies and was known 
as the New England Confederation. Rhode Island was 
not allowed to become a member of the Confederation 
because the Puritan colonies of New England did not 
approve of the religious liberty allowed in Rhode 
Island. 

Charles II distrusted the New England Confederation 
for he thought it might make the colonies so powerful 
that they would become independent of England. Charles 
thought Massachusetts especially showed a disposition 
to be too independent. He ordered the colony to change 
some of its laws that he did not like, and when the colony 
refused, he took away its charter, making Massachusetts 
a royal province. 


138 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


James II and Sir Edmund Andros. — When Charles II 
died he was succeeded on the throne of England by his 
brother James, the Duke of York, to whom Charles had 
given the colony of New York. The new king was 
known as James II. 

James II, who was a very tyrannical king, determined 
to crush the independent spirit of New England, which 
his brother had failed to do. 
He took away the charters of 
Rhode Island and Connecticut; 
then, he united all the New Eng¬ 
land colonies and New York and 
New Jersey under one govern¬ 
ment with Sir Edmund Andros 
as governor. Andros thus ruled 
over the country extending from 
the present state of Maine to the 
Delaware River. He made his 
capital at Boston. Andros had 
ideas as tyrannical as those of his 
king. He governed so harshly that the colonists hated 
his very name. 

Finally the people of England, growing tired of the 
tyranny of James II, drove him from the throne (1688). 
When the news reached America, the people of Boston 
seized Andros and put him in prison. 

The Colonies under William and Mary. — When 
James II was driven from the throne, William and Mary 
were made joint sovereigns of England. William, who 
was at the head of the Dutch government, was a nephew, 



Sir Edmund Andros 


TROUBLES WITH THE INDIANS 


139 


and Mary, his wife, was a daughter of James II. William 
and Mary were good sovereigns and during their reign 
the colonies received better treatment. 

Troubles with the Indians 

King Philip’s War. — The Indians had never become 
reconciled to the coming of the English, for they knew 
that either the white men must go, 
or else they, themselves, would have 
to give up their homes. They were 
constantly attacking exposed settle¬ 
ments and farms. 

The Indian war from which New 
England suffered the most is known 
as King Philip’s War. King Philip 
was the name that the whites had 
given one of the Indian chiefs. 

Through King Philip’s influence 
many Indian tribes united to make 
a combined attack on all the New England colonies and 
utterly destroy the English. The war began in 1675. 
Fortunately the New England Confederation was still in 
existence, and it was able to raise an army promptly. 
A year was required to subdue the red men. In the 
meantime twelve towns in New England had been de¬ 
stroyed, numerous others had been attacked, and many 
men, women, and children had fallen victims to the 
tomahawk. 

War with the Tuscaroras. — One of the most severe 
Indian wars in the Southern colonies was with the Tus¬ 



king Philip 


140 


IN OLD COLONY DAYS 


caroras, a very warlike tribe that lived in North Carolina. 
In 1711, the Tuscaroras took the war-path and killed every 
settler they came upon. The North Carolinians flew to 
arms and volunteers from South Carolina came to their 
aid. In a terrible battle fought on the Neuse River the 
Tuscaroras were defeated. They remained quiet for two 
years, when they broke out again. This time an army 
from the two Carolinas inflicted such a terrific defeat that 
the Tuscaroras removed from North Carolina. 

French and Spaniards Incite the Indians. — The French 
colonists to the north and west of the English, and the 
Spanish colonists to the south, were as desirous as the 
English of controlling the American continent. To cripple 
English power they incited the Indians to make war upon 
the English colonies. 

In another chapter we shall see that when wars between 
England and France spread to America, the French were 
able to get more aid from the Indians than the English 
could get. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. What was the population of the English colonies in 1700; and 
what did it show? 2. What other peoples, besides the English and the 
Dutch, came to the English colonies? 3. Tell of the occupations of 
New England; the Southern colonies; the Middle colonies. 4. De¬ 
scribe colonial commerce. 5. Relate the story of the beginning of 
slavery in the English colonies. 6. Why were slaves more numerous 
in the South than in the North? 7. What colonies engaged in the 
slave trade? 8. Name the kinds of bonded white servants, and tell 
the difference between them. 

9. Describe life in the South in early colonial times; in New England; 
in the Middle colonies. 10. Describe the dress ®f the early colonists. 
11. How was traveling done in the North? In the South? 12. Why 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


14* 


were there so few towns in the South in colonial times? 13. How 
were boys and girls in early colonial times educated? 14. Name some 
of the methods for punishing crime. 15. Describe the religious in¬ 
tolerance of the colonies. 16. Tell the story of the witchcraft delusion. 

17. What was the attitude of the colonists toward the mother 
country? 18. How did the king interfere with the colonies, and why 
did some of his officials give trouble? 19. What were the laws of 
navigation and trade? 20. How did they come to be evaded? 

21. Compare the colonial policies of England, France, and Spain. 

22. Tell the story of Bacon’s Rebellion. 23. What was the New 
England Confederation, and how did King Charles II feel about it? 
24. What did he do to Massachusetts? 25. Tell of the tyranny of 
James II and Sir Edmund Andros. 26. Who were William and Mary, 
and why should we remember them with gratitude ? 

27. Describe King Philip’s War. 28. Describe the War with the 
Tuscaroras. 29. Why did the French and Spaniards incite the Indians 
to make war upon the English ? 



Tinder Box, Flint, and Steel 





CHAPTER XII 


THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 

Marquette and La Salle on the Mississippi 

The French in Canada. — The population of Canada 
grew very slowly. The French were interested chiefly 
in trading for skins and furs, and gave little attention 
to clearing the land for settlement. Yet it was from 
Canada that the Middle West was explored. 

Catholic missionaries came from France to Canada 
soon after Champlain had founded Quebec. As the 
years passed they came in larger numbers. These pious 
men devoted themselves to carrying the gospel of 
Christianity to the Indians. They plodded through 
tangled forests and drifts of snow, and waded in ice-cold 
rivers; they went without food, and slept on the frozen 
ground; they bravely faced even the greater danger of 
the tomahawk and scalping knife. Some were put to 
death by torture; but no danger could turn them from 
their noble work, and they succeeded in making Christians 
of many of the Indians. 

French traders also penetrated the forests. Before 
1660, the West had been explored by missionaries and 
traders as far as Illinois. 

Father Marquette. — One of the missionaries who had 
come out from France was Father Jacques Marquette. 
Upon his arrival in Canada, Marquette at once began to 


142 


MARQUETTE AND LA SALLE 


143 


study the languages of the different tribes so that he 
might work among them more easily. It was not long 
before he could speak with ease six native tongues. 

This good priest went into the wilderness, even to Lake 
Superior. He lived among the In¬ 
dians like one of them, caring for the 
sick and afflicted. He told them of 
God, baptizing all whom he con¬ 
verted. Marquette was a delicate 
man, and was ill fitted to endure the 
hardships of the wilderness, but the 
faith that was in him gave him 
strength. 

Marquette Seeks the Mississippi. 

— The Indians spoke often of a great 
river called the Mississippi; and the 
French thought that it must empty 
into the Pacific Ocean. The French¬ 
men could not know that this river, 
far up in the northwest, was the same 
stream that DeSoto had discovered, 
far to the south, more than a hundred 
years before, nor did they dream that ^ Caplto1, 

it flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. 

The governor of Canada wished to find the river so 
that he might claim for France all the lands drained by 
it and also might secure for that country a western route to 
Asia. Marquette wished to find the river in order that 
he might carry the knowledge of God to the Indian 
tribes along its banks. 



Jacques Marquette 
From the statue in the 









£44 


THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


Marquette and an explorer named Louis Joliet began 
a search for the Mississippi. In the spring of 1673, they 
set out from the upper end of Lake Michigan. They 
traveled in two canoes made of birch bark, and took with 
them five men. For food they had smoked meat and 
Indian corn, but they carried a large supply of hatchets 
and beads and other trinkets as presents for the Indians. 

Difficulties of the Journey. — In their light canoes they 
kept along the western shore of Lake Michigan until they 
came to the Fox River, up which they headed their boats. 

Finally the seven explorers came to a point on the Fox 
River where a path led to the Wisconsin River. Over 
this path, which ran through woods and swamps, Mar¬ 
quette and his men plodded. Two of them carried the 
canoes on their heads while others bore the baggage 
strapped to their backs. 

When the Wisconsin River was reached, they again 
launched their canoes and gently drifted downstream. 
They soon passed out of its waters into those of the broad 
Mississippi. They gazed upon the mighty river with a 
joy they could not express. 

On the Mississippi. — Up to this time the explorers 
had met with many Indians, all of whom they had kept 
friendly by giving them presents. Now, as they journeyed 
down the Mississippi, sometimes paddling, sometimes 
using sails, they did not see a human being for more than 
two weeks. They saw only great herds of buffalo that 
stared quietly at them through their shaggy manes as 
they passed. With their trusty rifles they were able to 
kill game enough to supply themselves with food. 


MARQUETTE AND LA SALLE 


145 


Although they met with no human being, the men 
moved very cautiously. At nightfall they would go on 
shore and cook and eat their supper, and then, pushing 
out into the stream, would sleep in their canoes — one 
man always keeping watch. 

Finally they came upon an Indian village. Here the 
Frenchmen and the Indian chiefs smoked together calu¬ 
mets or peace pipes. These Indians tried to persuade 
Marquette not to proceed on his journey, saying that the 
tribes living farther down the liver were very warlike. 



Indian Peace Pipe 

When he insisted on proceeding down the river, the 
chief gave him a calumet, telling him that if he showed it 
no Indian would harm him. It was well that Marquette 
had this token, for more than once, as he drifted down 
the Mississippi, natives would have attacked the little 
band if he had not shown the calumet. 

The Return. — Having gone down the river as far as 
the mouth of the Arkansas, Marquette and his com¬ 
panions became convinced that the great river did not 
enter into the Pacific Ocean, but the Gulf of Mexico. 
Therefore, seeing no reason why they should go farther, 
they decided to return to Canada. 


146 


THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


As the men had been two months on the trip it was now 
midsummer, and they found it very hard to paddle their 
canoes upstream under the intense heat. Worse still, 
the health of the good Marquette gave way under the 
strain of the journey. He kept up until the party 
reached a mission in Wisconsin, but there he had to 
remain while Joliet went on to Quebec to make a report 
of their exploration to the 
governor. 

Marquette never recovered 
from the tax the journey put 
upon his weak constitution. 
Two years later he died in the 
wilderness of Michigan. 

La Salle. —At the time that 
Marquette explored the Missis¬ 
sippi River there was living in 
Canada a Frenchman named 
Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur 
de La Salle, who had become 
noted as an explorer. When twenty-three years old he 
had come to Canada and engaged in the fur trade. While 
exploring the western country he discovered the Ohio 
River. 

Marquette’s expedition to the Mississippi determined 
La Salle to go down that river to its mouth and thus 
establish for France a claim to all the country along its 
banks. 

La Salle and the King of France. — To carry out so 
great a scheme, money was needed to buy supplies and 



Robert Cavelier, Sieur de 
La Salle 


MARQUETTE AND LA SALLE 


147 


to hire men. La Salle was poor; so he went to France 
and told the king what he wished to do. The king was 
pleased with the young man and gave him the right to 
hold land, build forts, and control trade in all the countries 
he might explore. As much as the king liked the young 
man’s plan, however, he would give no money for it. 
La Salle was a man who would let nothing stop him when 
once he had set his mind on doing a thing, so he borrowed 
the money to fit out the expedition. 

Others Jealous of La Salle. —As the king had given 
him the sole right to trade on the lands bordering on the 
Mississippi River, other traders became jealous of La 
Salle, and did all they could to make his expedition a 
failure. They sent word to the king that La Salle was 
crazy; they persuaded men in his employ to leave him; 
and they tried to get the Indians to kill him. Still* 
La Salle would not give up. 

Years of Disappointment. —La Salle started out from 
Canada for the Mississippi in the fall of 1678. Four 
winters passed without his getting farther than the 
Illinois River, because the suffering of his men from 
cold and hunger was so great. At one time the con¬ 
dition of the men was so desperate that some deserted. 
Others who feared La Salle too much to run away — for 
he was a stern man — tried to kill him by putting poison 
in his food. Twice during his stay on the Illinois River 
La Salle made the one thousand mile journey back to 
Montreal on foot to get more food and more men. 

La Salle Reaches the Mouth of the Mississippi. — At 
last La Salle was able, with twenty-three Frenchmen 


148 


THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


and a number of Indians, to push on toward the goal that 
he was seeking. This time his efforts were successful. 
Out of the Illinois River and into the broad Mississippi, 
La Salle and his party sailed in 1682. The fleet of canoes 
went down the river. At the end of two months they 
reached the mouth of the Mississippi, and La Salle looked 
upon the mighty waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 

Louisiana. — Near the mouth of the river La Salle 
planted a column bearing a cross and the arms of France. 
He claimed for France all the land drained by the river, 
and called the country Louisiana in honor of the French 
king, Louis XIV. The country thus claimed stretches 
from the Alleghany Mountains to the Rocky Mountains. 

An Attempt to Colonize Louisiana. — The explorers 
turned their boats about and made their toilsome journey 
back to Canada. La Salle then went to France and laid 
before the king a plan to settle a colony near the mouth 
of the Mississippi. Louis XIV readily agreed. It made 
no difference to him that more than a hundred years 
before De Soto, on discovering the river, had claimed the 
country for Spain. Spain was now too weak to prevent 
the French king from doing what he pleased. 

With nearly three hundred settlers, La Salle sailed 
from France in 1684 to plant a colony near the mouth 
of the Mississippi River. Through a mistake the party 
passed the mouth of the Mississippi and landed on the 
coast of Texas. There the ship containing the supplies 
went to the bottom. These misfortunes were so dis¬ 
heartening that about half of the colonists, together with 
the captain of the fleet, sailed away for France. 


MARQUETTE AND LA SALLE 



Map Showing French Explorations 


Death of La Salle. — Those who remained suffered 
intensely for two long years. Finally, La Salle set out 
for Canada — a distance of two thousand miles — to 
get aid for his colony. He had not gone far on his 
journey when some of his companions, who blamed him 
for the disasters that had befallen the colonists, 




















THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


150 

treacherously killed him. Thus ended the life of the 
Si Father of Louisiana/’ 

Fate of La Salle’s Colony. — Some of La Salle’s colo¬ 
nists died of disease, some were killed in quarrels among 
themselves, and many were massacred by the Indians. 
Only a few of the three hundred ever got back to France. 

Iberville and Bienville in Louisiana 

France again Turns to Louisiana. — France had be¬ 
come engaged in war with England and other nations, 
and King Louis had to wait for some years before follow¬ 
ing up La Salle’s idea of colonizing Louisiana. The king 
knew that if France did not hold the country, England 
would seize it. Therefore, as soon as the war ended, 
he began preparations for sending out another colony. 

Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur dTberville. — From those 
who asked to be allowed to lead the expedition he selected 
Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d’Iberville. This man, commonly 
known as Iberville, was a Canadian, born of French 
parents. Perhaps no better selection could have been 
made. Iberville was brave and, like most Canadians, 
was accustomed to life in the forests. As an officer 
of the French navy he had distinguished himself by 
defeating with a single vessel an English fleet of three 
vessels in Hudson Bay. 

Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville. — In 

1698, Iberville set sail from France with two ships. Among 
those who accompanied him was his brother, Jean Bap¬ 
tiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, commonly called 
Bienville, a youth only eighteen years old. Young as 


IBERVILLE AND BIENVILLE IN LOUISIANA 151 

Bienville was, he had already served in the French navy 
and had been wounded in battle. 

Entering the Mississippi River. — The voyage across 
the Atlantic was made without mishap. On reaching the 
shores of Florida, Iberville skirted the coast of the Gulf 
of Mexico till he reached Ship Island, off the coast of the 
present state of Mississippi. Here he left his ships at 



Iberville Bienville 


anchor and, with Bienville and a few of his men, sailed 
westward in two barges in search of the Mississippi 
River. He kept close to the shore and watched intently 
that he might not pass the mouth of the river as La Salle 
had done. 

In a few days the boats ran into the mouth of a mighty 
river. As Iberville could not be sure that he had found 
the Mississippi, he continued his journey for many miles 
upstream until he became convinced from what Indians 
told him that he was on the river that La Salle had 


152 


THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


descended. Satisfied at length that it was the river he 
sought, he returned to his ships. 

Settlement of Mississippi. — As provisions were run¬ 
ning low, Iberville returned to France for more supplies 
and other settlers, without waiting to plant his settle¬ 
ment on the Mississippi River as he had intended. Be¬ 
fore sailing, he left orders which the colonists were to 
follow. Acting under these directions, they started their 
first settlement by building, in 1699, a fort on the Bay of 
Biloxi, in the present state of Mississippi. 

Bienville the Saving Spirit of the Colony. — Food 
became scarce in the new settlement and fresh water 
was even more difficult to get. The hot summer, to 
which the men were unaccustomed, added to the suffering. 
Soon there was much sickness. The youth Bienville 
was the saving spirit of the colony. Active, brave, and 
tactful, he spent the time encouraging the settlers, 
exploring the country, and making friends of the Indians. 

Bienville gained the affection of the Indians in a marked 
degree, for he knew how to touch their savage hearts. 
He visited them, slept in their wigwams, smoked their 
pipes of peace, and gave them trinkets for presents. He 
very soon learned their language. The friendship of 
the Indians was valuable, for, if they had wished, they 
might easily have destroyed the feeble colony. 

A Poor Class of Colonists. — Meanwhile, Iberville 
sailed back and forth between Louisiana and France to 
bring over settlers and supplies. He begged for men who 
would make their homes in the new country and who 
would earn their living from the soil, as the English 


IBERVILLE AND BIENVILLE IN LOUISIANA 153 


colonists were doing, but the government sent out men 
to search for gold and silver and to gather wool from the 



The Country around the Mouth of the Mississippi 
From a map made in 1758 


buffalo. They found neither gold nor silver, and the 
gathering of buffalo wool was not profitable; yet the 
men would not try to raise crops. 

Settlement of Alabama; Death of Iberville. — Iber- 
ville built Fort Mobile, in the present state of Alabama, 
in 1702, and moved the capital of the colony there. Soon 
afterward, another war between France and England 








THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


154 

having broken out, Iberville resumed his command in 
the French navy. While fighting the English in the West 
Indies he fell ill of yellow fever and died. 

Bienville in Charge of the Colony. — The entire care 
of the colony now fell upon Bienville, and a harder task 
could hardly be imagined. The war prevented France 
from helping the colony and the colony could do little to 
help itself. More than once the settlement was on the 
verge of famine. To lessen the number of mouths to 
feed, Bienville sent the young unmarried men into the 
woods to live with the Indians. To add to the horrors 
of hunger, yellow fever broke out and carried many a poor 
settler to the grave. 

Other officials of the colony, jealous of Bienville, often 
hindered his noble efforts to save Louisiana. There 
were foes without the colony, as well as within. An 
English fleet, cruising in the gulf to cut off supplies for 
the colony, threatened to attack the settlement, and 
traders from the English colonies went among the In¬ 
dians, urging them to make war upon the French. 

Bravely, Bienville met these difficulties. He went 
about caring for the sick among his people, cheering the 
timid, warding off starvation, and watching his jealous 
officials. As best he could, Bienville defended the 
settlement against the English fleet, and he visited the 
Indians constantly to hold their friendship. 

Why Louisiana Did Not Prosper at First. — Except for 
a short interval Bienville was governor of Louisiana from 
1702 to 1724. During most of that time, life in the colony 
was a mere struggle for existence. Even when peace 


IBERVILLE AND BIENVILLE IN LOUISIANA 


I5S 

came to France, prosperity did not come to Louisiana, 
but it was not the fault of Bienville that the colony did 
not flourish. The French had wrong ideas about col¬ 
onizing. The men sent over were too few and they were 
not the kind to build thriving settlements. Moreover, 
France would not allow the settlers to govern themselves 
and made laws for the benefit of home merchants that 
ruined the trade of Louisiana. 



In time there came a change in the policy of sending 
over colonists. Shipload after shipload was sent until 
Louisiana suffered from too much immigration. Settlers 
came so fast that it was difficult to take care of them. 
Many were worthless and seemed to think that all they 
had to do was to sit idly by and let Bienville feed 
them. He was sorely taxed to provide for so many 
persons until he could transport them to various points 
in the territory, but with his usual tact and energy he 
succeeded. 



THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


156 

Founding of New Orleans. — Bienville took advantage 
of the coming of the new settlers to carry out a project 
that he had long cherished — the starting of a settlement 
at a place on the Mississippi River that he had selected 
as a site for the chief town of the colony. In 1718, he 
cleared the site, erected buildings, and settled there 
sixty-eight persons. Thus began the great city of New 
Orleans. In a few years, New Orleans was made the 
capital of Louisiana. 

Prosperity Comes to Louisiana. — The colony now 
began to prosper. Many of the worthless immigrants 
died; others deserted to the English colonies or went 
to live among the Indians, while others took to the sea 
and became pirates. The better class remained in the 
colony, built homes, and tilled the soil. They laid the 
foundations of the high type of society for which Louisiana 
has ever since been noted. 

Bienville Goes to France. — There were still in the 
colony officials who were jealous of Bienville. They 
sent charges against him to France. Thereupon the 
king removed Bienville from the office of governor and 
ordered him to France. Although the charges were 
false Bienville could not convince the king, who refused 
to reinstate him in the governorship. 

Bienville again Governor. — For nine years the officials 
who had been left in charge of Louisiana governed the 
colony very badly. They treated the natives so unjustly 
that some of the red men started a war upon the whites. 
It was feared that all the tribes would combine to wipe 
out the little colony. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


157 


The colonists in their distress remembered how well 
Bienville had managed the Indians and wished for his 
return. The king, in his anxiety for the colony, turned to 
Bienville as the man to save it. He again made him 
governor and ordered him to Louisiana. 

Bienville arrived at New Orleans in 1733 and served as 
governor for ten years. He then resigned because he had 
failed to govern to the satis¬ 
faction of the settlers and he 
was unwilling to remain at the 
head of the colony when some 

one else might take his place biehv^Ta^apk 
and accomplish more. 

In 1743, Bienville sailed away from Louisiana forever. 
He had come to this land as a boy, and to it he had given 
forty-four years of devoted service. He took up his 
abode in Paris where he lived a quiet life, reaching the 
good old age of eighty-eight. 

The French gave many great men to the exploration 
and early settlement of America, but none greater than 
Iberville, the founder of the Louisiana colony, and Bien¬ 
ville, its preserver. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. What pious work did the French missionaries in Canada do? 
2. What kind of man was Father Marquette? 3. Why did the 
governor of Canada wish to find the Mississippi? 4. Why did Mar¬ 
quette wish to find that river? 5. Tell what route Marquette and 
Joliet traveled. 6. How did the Indians treat them? 7. Relate 
the story of the calumet. 8. How far down the Mississippi did Mar¬ 
quette and Joliet go; and why did they turn back? 9. Describe the 
death of Marquette. 




THE FRENCH IN AMERICA 


JS8 

10. Who was La Salle and what expedition did he undertake? 
11. Why did others become jealous of him? 12. Describe the suffer^ 

ings of La Salle and his men. 13. After entering the Mississippi, how 
long did it take La Salle to reach its mouth? 14. How did he take 
possession of the country ? 15. What was it named? For whom was 

it named? 16. Why was the king of France willing to take land that 
Spain claimed? 17. How did La Salle meet his death? 18. What 
became of La Salle’s colony ? 

19. Who was Iberville? Who was Bienville? 20. Tell how Iber¬ 
ville found the Mississippi River. 21. When was Biloxi settled? 
22. Tell what Iberville did for the young colony. 23. Describe the 
work of Bienville. 24. Explain why the colony of Louisiana did not 
flourish at first. 25. When was Mobile settled? New Orleans? 
26. How did prosperity come to Louisiana? 27. Why was Bienvillg 
removed from the office of governor and why was he reinstated? 
28. Why did Bienville resign the governorship? 


CHAPTER XIII 


DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 

George Washington, an Oeficer in the 
Virginia Militia 

Great Britain and France at War. — Great Britain 
and France had for many years been almost constantly 
at war. As Spam’s power had declined, both Great 
Britain and France were struggling to take her place as 
the leading nation of the world. Since the nation that 
controlled North America would be the stronger, the 
wars were extended to this country and the British and 
French colonies took part in them. 

Three wars had already been fought, in which Great 
Britain had greatly weakened the power of France in 
Europe. In America she had gained the French provinces 
of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; but France still held 
Canada and Louisiana. A fourth war between Great 
Britain and France was likely to occur because both na¬ 
tions claimed the Ohio Valley — the country lying be¬ 
tween the Alleghany Mountains and the Mississippi 
River and drained by the Ohio River. 

George Washington.—Trouble began in 1753 when 
the French started building forts in the Ohio Valley. 
The governor of Virginia resolved to send a message to 
the French commander, warning him that the French 
were upon British territory and would have to leave. 


16c DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 

But who should be the bearer of the message ? It is an 
easy matter now to travel by train from Virginia to the 
western part of Pennsylvania, where the French were 
building the fort, but in those days the journey could be 
made only on foot or on horseback. The route lay 
through a wilderness inhabited by hostile savages and 
claimed by unfriendly Frenchmen. So the governor had 
to select a man who was strong enough to endure the 
hardships of the trip, brave enough to face its dangers, 
and tactful enough to make friends of the Indians. 

The governor chose as his messenger George Washing¬ 
ton, who, though only twenty-one, was already a major 
in the Virginia militia. 

Boyhood of Washington. — George Washington was 
born in the colony of Virginia on February 22, 1732. His 
father, who was a planter, died when the boy was eleven 
years old, leaving the mother to rear a large family and 
to take care of the plantation. 

George Washington said of his mother in after life, 
%< All I am I owe to her.” When we think what a noble 
son Mary Washington reared, we realize that she must 
have been a great and good woman. 

George was like his mother in character. Though he 
was high spirited, he learned from her how to control his 
spirit so that it would not lead to ill temper. Even as a 
boy he understood that the whole duty of life is to do 
right. He was sober-minded, yet he was full of life, 
and there was not a boy in the neighborhood who could 
beat him running, wrestling, pitching quoits, or riding. 

At an early age George was sent to a country school. 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, AN OFFICER 161 

The building was rough, and the boys and girls had to 
sit for hours on hard benches. Only reading, writing, 
and arithmetic were taught. As he grew older George 
went to better schools. By the time that he was fourteen, 
he had become a very serious boy, studying even at recess, 
for he now saw that he would have to help his mother 
with her business affairs. 



Birthplace of Washington 

The house is no longer standing: its site is marked by a monument 


Washington as a Surveyor. — When sixteen years old, 
Washington became a surveyor. He was given his first 
work in the western part of Virginia — a section that 
was then a wilderness, inhabited by Indians and a few 
traders. This work taught him how to live in the woods 
and how to deal with the natives. 

Washington Delivers the Governor's Message. —When 
Washington started out to deliver the letter of the 
governor of Virginia to the French commander in the 
Ohio Valley, he took with him as guide Christopher Gist, 



162 


DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 


a man who knew the woods well, and six other companions. 
On the way he made treaties of friendship with several 
Indian tribes who had become alarmed because the 
French were building forts on their land. A chief, called 
Half King, and two other Indians went with him to the 
French fort. On reaching the fort, Washington handed 
to the commander the letter from the governor of Virginia. 
The French officer received him politely and gave him 
a letter in reply. 

Washington Returns with the Frenchman’s Reply. — 

Washington set out on his return trip. The ground was 
covered with heavy snow and the streams were choked 
with floating ice. After a few days the pack horses 
carrying the tents, baggage, and provisions began to 
give out. To relieve the jaded animals Washington 
and his companions dismounted and placed a part of the 
load on their own horses. The men proceeded on foot. 

Washington was impatient to deliver the letter to the 
governor, so he took Gist, the guide, and pushed forward 
rapidly, leaving the rest of the party to follow. At every 
step on the way back the two men faced danger and 
suffering. Once Washington narrowly escaped death 
from a shot fired at him by an Indian. At another time, 
he came near drowning by falling from a raft while crossing 
an ice-choked river. At length, however, Washington 
delivered to the governor the letter from the French 
commander. 

The Virginia Governor Decides to Build a Fort. — The 

letter was such as might have been expected. It said that 
the Ohio Valley did not belong to the king of Great 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, AN OFFICER 163 

Britain, but to the king of France, and that, therefore, 
the French commander would not withdraw from it* 
Then the governor of Virginia decided that he, also, 
would build a fort in the disputed territory. 

Washington Builds Fort Necessity. — Washington sug¬ 
gested as the site for the English fort a place that is now 
the site of Pittsburgh, Penn¬ 
sylvania. Acting upon this 
suggestion, the governor 
sent Washington, who had 
been made a colonel in the 
Virginia militia, to seize and 
hold that point. 

The little army of less 
than two hundred men 
toiled over the mountains 
only to find that the French 
had acted more quickly 
than the British and had 
built a strong fort, called 
Fort Duquesne, at the very 
place that Washington had 
selected. 

Washington was very 
much disappointed. His army was not strong enough to 
capture Fort Duquesne, which was defended by a large 
force of French and their Indian allies. Yet he did not 
wish to retreat, for the Indians usually wished to be on the 
winning side. If they saw the French advancing and the 
British retreating, they would all take sides with the French. 










164 DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 


Washington, therefore, decided to stand his ground, 
although his supplies had run so low that his men were 
suffering. He threw up small earthworks, which he 
called “ Fort Necessity,” on account of the half-starved 
condition of himself and his men. There he waited for 
more soldiers. The Indian chief, Half King, joined him 
with a few warriors. 

Washington Starts a War. — One day Washington 
heard that a party of Frenchmen were scouting near his 
fort, so taking a few of his men and the Indian warriors, 
he went in search of the scouting party. Coming upon 
their camp in a secluded spot in the woods, Washington 
began an attack, and in the skirmish that followed all 
the French were killed or captured, except one, who 
escaped and carried the news of the fight to Fort 
Duquesne. 

Thus Washington, a young man of twenty-two, began 
a war that spread not only over America, but over Europe 
as well. In America the war became known as the French 
and Indian war. 

Washington Surrenders Fort Necessity. — The French 
at Fort Duquesne, on learning of the defeat of their 
comrades, determined to have revenge. A strong body 
of French and Indians marched to attack Washington 
at Fort Necessity. Half King and his warriors, seeing 
the weakness of the English defense and not liking the 
scarcity of provisions, deserted Washington in his greatest 
need. 

From behind trees and sheltering rocks, the French 
poured a galling fire upon the Virginians, who found 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, AN OFFICER 


165 


their small intrenchment little protection. Yet the 
Virginians fought well. Standing knee-deep in water 
in a blinding rain, the brave men held their little mud 
fort all day long and into the night till their guns became 
useless from the dampness. Then, since further resistance 
was impossible, Washington surrendered. He was allowed, 
however, to march out with the 
honors of war. Washington re¬ 
turned to Virginia. Nowhere 
west of the Alleghany Mountains 
did the British flag now wave. 

General Edward Braddock. 

— The next year (1755) Gen¬ 
eral Edward Braddock sailed 
from England and landed in 
Virginia. He had been sent to 
command the British forces in 
America, and he brought with 
him two regiments of regulars. 

Braddock was as brave as the 
bravest, but he would not listen 
to advice. He thought that 
British regulars knew how to fight anywhere, and he had 
a contempt for colonial troops and even for the Indians. 

When warned that he would find the Indian allies of 
the French formidable enemies, Braddock refused to 
believe that they could stand against the king’s troops. 
He was soon to find that the king’s troops, trained to 
fight in open battle, were no match for Indians shooting 
from behind cover. 



George Washington 
At the age of 30, in the uniform 
of a Virginian colonel 


i66 


DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 


Braddock’s Treatment of the Militia and the Indians, 

— In spite of the fact that Braddock had spoken scorn¬ 
fully of the colonial troops, militia from both Virginia 
and Maryland joined his army. But Braddock had 
so little confidence in the American troops that he had an 
officer of the regular army drill them so as to make them, 
as he himself said, “ as much like soldiers as possible.” 

Indians who were friendly to the British offered to join 
Braddock, but he treated them so coldly that they left 
in disgust. One of the chiefs said of him, “ He looked 
upon us as dogs and would never hear anything we said 
to him.” 

The March across the Mountains. — When everything 
was in readiness, the army crossed the mountains to 
drive the French from the Ohio Valley. Colonel Washing- 
ton went with Braddock as an aide. The army was a fine 
sight as it marched through the woods with bands playing 
and banners flying, and the gay red uniforms of the British 
regulars and the blue uniforms of the colonial militia 
contrasting beautifully in the bright sunlight. 

Washington advised Braddock to place the colonials 
in the front of the army because they were used to fighting 
in the woods, but Braddock was indignant that a pro¬ 
vincial colonel should try to teach a British general how 
to fight. 

Braddock’s Defeat. — The French at Fort Duquesne 
had learned that Braddock’s army was marching to 
capture the fort, so they determined to attack first. 
A party of French and Indians went out from the fort to 
meet the British, hoping to surprise them. 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, AN OFFICER 167 

Braddock’s army, unaware of danger, had arrived 
within a few miles of the fort, when suddenly from both 
sides of the road a deadly volley was poured into its 
ranks. 

The British, though taken by surprise, stood their 
ground, shouting “ God save the King.” They returned 
the fire, but could do little damage 
because they could not see the 
enemy who had placed themselves 
behind trees and rocks. On the 
other hand, the red uniforms of the 
British in the open road gave the 
enemy fine targets to shoot at. 

Bullets mowed down the British as 
they crowded together. Above the 
din of battle the forest rang with the 
terrible war-whoop of the Indians. 

The colonial militia used to this 
way of fighting sought protection 
of trees, and from this cover kept 
up a spirited fire. Some of the 
regulars tried to follow the example 
of the militia, but Braddock beat them back into line 
with the flat of his sword; and there they huddled to¬ 
gether in confusion. 

When Braddock saw that the day was lost, he ordered 
a retreat. Just at that time a bullet struck him down, 
and the retreat became a panic. The regulars fled pell- 
mell along the road from which they had come, leaving the 
wounded and all the artillery and baggage. Braddock, 



British Soldier 








168 


DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 


mortally wounded, was carried away by the Virginians. 
He died on the retreat. 

Washington’s Narrow Escape. — It seemed a miracle 
that Washington’s life was spared, for at all times he 
was in the thickest of the fight. Two horses were shot 
under him and four bullets pierced his coat. He and 



Fort Duquesne 

his troops covered the retreat and saved the army from 
complete destruction. 

Washington Raises the British Flag over Duquesne. — 

Three years later (1758) another British army crossed the 
mountains to attack Fort Duquesne. Washington com¬ 
manded the Virginia troops. This time the British were 
successful. The French had left in the fort only a few 
men who, when the British drew near, destroyed the fort 
and fled. Washington was given the honor of raising the 








MONTCALM AND WOLFE, HEROES OF QUEBEC 169 

British flag over the ruins. The British rebuilt the fort 
and named it Fort Pitt in honor of William Pitt, a great 
British statesman. By the capture of Fort Duquesne the 
British gained control of the Ohio Valley. 

Washington’s Modesty. — Washington returned to 
Virginia and took his seat in the colonial legislature to 
which he had just been elected. When the meeting was 
called to order, the speaker arose from his chair and 
said that he had been instructed by the House to thank 
Colonel Washington, in the name of Virginia, for his 
valiant service to his country. 

Washington was taken completely by surprise. He 
arose to his feet but was so much embarrassed that he 
could make no reply. The speaker came to his rescue, 
however, saying, “ Sit down, Colonel Washington, your 
modesty is equal to your valor, and that surpasses the 
power of any language I possess.” 

Montcalm and Wolfe, Heroes of Quebec 

Marquis de Montcalm. — Before the British were able 
to take Fort Duquesne, they had met with a number of 
reverses in America besides that of Braddock’s defeat. 
The British generals frequently made a great show of 
doing much, yet in the end did nothing. In the mean¬ 
time the French general, Louis Joseph, Marquis de Mont¬ 
calm, a skillful and active officer, captured and held im¬ 
portant posts. Montcalm was so successful in outwitting 
the slow-moving British generals that most of the Indian 
tribes eagerly sought to become his allies. 

On one occasion a party of Indians traveled from the 


170 DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 

far west all the way to Montreal just to see Montcalm, 
the man whose generalship they had heard so much about,, 
The chief said to Montcalm, “We wanted to see this 
famous man who tramples the English under his feet. 
We thought that we should find him so tall that his head 
would be lost in the clouds. But you are a little man, 
my Father. It is when we look into your eyes that we 
see the greatness of the pine tree and the fire of the eagle.” 

William Pitt at the Head of the British Government. — 
After a while the fortunes of war changed, for there came 
to the head of the British government the great states¬ 
man, William Pitt, who was determined to push the war 
with vigor, and to drive the French from America. 

Pitt removed the slow inefficient generals who had 
command of the British forces in America, and put in 
command men who knew how to win battles. Then 
success after success followed. 

General James Wolfe. — Still, to break the power of 
France in America, Quebec, the most important post in 
Canada, had to be taken. For this task Pitt selected 
General James Wolfe. 

At this time Wolfe was only thirty-two, yet he had 
already distinguished himself in many battles. It was 
because he had proved himself such a good soldier that 
Pitt selected him for the important and difficult work 
of capturing Quebec. Just before the beginning of spring 
in the year 1759, Wolfe set sail from England with his 
army, accompanied by a strong fleet. 

The Defense of Quebec. — When news that Quebec 
was to be attacked reached Canada, there was much 


MONTCALM AND WOLFE, HEROES OF QUEBEC 171 

bustle to put the town in a state of defense, and Mont¬ 
calm hurried to Quebec to take command. He had to 
depend on a few French troops already in the colony, 
aided by Canadian militia, Indian allies, and volunteers 
from among the farmers of the country. 

Quebec is divided into an upper and a lower town. 
*Ihe upper town is built on a very steep cliff rising more 



Quebec in the Eighteenth Century 


than two hundred feet above the St. Lawrence River. As 
Montcalm did not think it possible for the British to scale 
the heights, he posted only a few men there to guard them. 
Looking over the great precipice, Montcalm declared that 
the enemy could not reach Quebec that way unless they 
had wings. The lower town is built along the river bank. 
To protect this side of the town, Montcalm threw up 
strong intrenchments and placed his army behind them 
Unsuccessful Assaults upon Quebec. — Toward the 
latter part of June, Wolfe’s army and fleet joined in a 



172 DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 

bombardment of the lower town, hoping that Montcalm 
would be compelled to come out of his intrenchments 
and give battle. Though buildings in the town were 
destroyed, the French army remained unharmed behind 
the fortifications, and the British gained nothing. 

At last, a French officer, carrying a flag of truce to 
Wolfe, said to him, “ You will demolish the town, no 
doubt, but you shall never get inside of it.” 

And Wolfe replied, “ I will have Quebec if I stay until 
the end of November.” 

Nevertheless, Wolfe was becoming anxious. A month 
had now passed. True, the town was nearly reduced 
to ruins by the bombardment, but he was no nearer 
capturing it or defeating Montcalm’s army than when he 
began. 

At length Wolfe grew so impatient because Montcalm 
would not come out to fight him that he resolved to attack 
the French in their fortified lines. Wherever Wolfe 
would lead, his men were glad to follow, and gallantly 
they charged the French works, but only to be driven 
back with great slaughter. 

When news of this reverse reached England some one 
remarked to the king that Wolfe was mad. “ Wolfe 
mad?” replied the king, who had grown tired of generals 
who did nothing. “ Then I hope he will bite some others 
of my generals.” 

Wolfe Falls Ill. — Under the stress of anxiety and 
disappointment, Wolfe now fell desperately ill. Lying 
on his bed, racked with pain and burning with fever, he 
still would not give up the idea of taking Quebec. On 


MONTCALM AND WOLFE, HEROES OF QUEBEC 173 


the contrary, he resolved to try what had been thought 
impossible — to scale the heights of the upper town. 
It was a desperate chance, but his only hope. Knowing 
that he could not recover from his illness, Wolfe’s one 
fear was that he might die before he could put his daring 
plan to the test. He said to his physician, “ Oh, doctor, 
just patch me up enough for this 
business, and I’ll ask no more.” 

Scaling the Heights. — As 
soon as he could leave his sick¬ 
bed, Wolfe marched a part of 
his army up the opposite bank 
of the river some distance 
above the town. Selecting a 
dark night, the British soldiers 
embarked in their boats and 
drifted down the river, moving 
quietly to keep from alarming 
the French. 

They finally reached a spot ever since known as Wolfe’s 
Cove, where a path leads up the lofty precipice. Here 
the men left the boats and began the ascent. The path 
was so narrow that they had to go in single file, and so 
steep that in many places they had to pull themselves 
up by trees and roots and overhanging rocks. The few 
Frenchmen guarding the path were surprised and quickly 
overpowered. 

The Battle on the Plains of Abraham.—By early 
morning, September 13, 1759, Wolfe and his men had 
gained the plateau at the top of the cliff, called the Plains 



General James Wolfe 


174 DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 

of Abraham. They were less than a mile from the walls 
of Quebec. 

The British were now in a position where Montcalm 
would have to fight them in open battle, for if he allowed 
them to remain where they were, they would capture 
all the provisions intended for his army. 

When Montcalm saw the British drawn up on the 
plateau, he was amazed, for, as will be remembered, he 
had said that an enemy would have to have wings to get 
up the cliff. 

“ This is a very serious business!” he exclaimed. 
Montcalm sent orders for his army to come up from the 
lower town as quickly as possible. He soon had on the 
plateau more men than Wolfe, but they were mostly 
militia. 

Hurriedly forming his ranks, the gallant French general 
made an impetuous charge. The British held their fire 
until the French got quite near them, when they poured 
forth such hot volleys that the French line gave way. 
The British then charged; and the French, thrown into 
confusion, fled. 

Death of Wolfe and Montcalm. — Wolfe had led the 
charge of the British. He was shot in the wrist, but tied 
up the wound with a handkerchief. He was shot in the 
thigh, still he kept at the head of his men. Finally, shot 
in the breast, and about to fall, he called to an officer 
and said, “ Support me. Do not let my brave soldiers 
see me drop, the day is ours — keep it.” 

The brave general was borne to the rear and gently 
laid upon the ground. He was dying then, but he heard 


MONTCALM AND WOLFE, HEROES OF QUEBEC 175 

some one cry out, “ They run ! They run ! See how they 
run! ” 

“ Who run?” he gasped. 

“ The enemy, sir, they give way everywhere.” 

Sending a hurried order to one of his officers, Wolfe 
turned upon his side, and said faintly, “ Now God be 
praised, I die in peace.” 

Montcalm had also received a mortal wound. He was 
trying desperately to rally his flying troops when a bullet 
pierced his breast. When told by his physician that he 
could live only a few hours, he calmly remarked, “ So 
much the better, I shall not live to see Quebec sur¬ 
rendered.” He spoke truly. Quebec surrendered a few 
days later, but Montcalm had already passed to his 
reward. 

Many years afterward a monument was erected in 
Quebec upon which was inscribed, “ To the memory of 
Wolfe and Montcalm.” Linked in fame is the memory of 
these two men — as noble soldiers as ever met in battle. 

The fall of Quebec was followed by the surrender of all 
Canada. 

Effect of the French Wars. — When the war ended in 
1763, French power in America was broken. Great 
Britain kept Canada. France gave up all claim to the 
Ohio Valley, and ceded to Great Britain all her ter¬ 
ritory east of the Mississippi except New Orleans. The 
city of New Orleans and that part of Louisiana lying 
west of the river she gave to Spain. 

After that, for a time, France had no possessions in 
North America. 


176 DRIVING THE FRENCH FROM AMERICA 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Describe the rivalry between France End England. 2, What 
part did America play in this rivalry ? 

3. Tell how Great Britain was weakening the power of France both 
in Europe and America. 4. What valley in America were both nations 
desirous of controlling? 5. Why was George Washington selected to 
carry a message to the French? 6. Tell of Washington’s boyhood. 
7. How did his work as a surveyor help him? 8. Tell the story of 
Washington’s visit to the French fort. 9. What reply did he bring 
from the French commander? 10. Where did the Virginia governor 
wish to build a fort, and why did he not build it? n. How did Fort 
Necessity come to be built ? 12. How did Washington begin the French 

and Indian War? 13. Relate the story of the loss of Fort Necessity. 
14. Who was Braddock, and what kind of man was he? 15. Tell of 
Braddock’s defeat. 16. Tell of Washington’s part in the fight. 
17. How was Fort Duquesne finally taken? 18. Tell how Virginia 
thanked her valiant son. 

19. What kind of general was Montcalm? 20. What did Pitt do 
when he came to the head of the British government? 21. Why did 
he select Wolfe to attack Quebec? 22. Describe the situation at 
Quebec. 23. Describe Wolfe’s attempt to take the lower town, 
24. What did the king say of him? 25. What desperate plan did 
Wolfe make during his illness? 26. How did he gain the Plains of 
Abraham? 27. Describe the battle that followed. 28. Relate the 
story of Wolfe’s death. 29. Tell how Montcalm died. 30. What 
were the results of the French wars ? 


CHAPTER XIV 


ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS EXTEND BEYOND THE 
ALLEGHANIES 

The Western Country 

Traders First Visit the West. — The English had pushed 
so far inland, by 1760, that straggling settlements had 
reached the foot of the Alleghany Mountains. Far to 
the west, near the Mississippi River, 
were the few scattered villages that 
the French had begun. The wide 
stretch of country between the Alle¬ 
ghany Mountains and the French set¬ 
tlements was a wilderness. As a result 
of the wars with the French, this 
wilderness had become an undisputed 
possession of the English. 

French traders from Louisiana and 
Spanish traders from Florida had long 
been accustomed to trade among the 
Indians in the region now comprising 
the states of Tennessee and Kentucky. 

Through these traders news of the 
valuable furs and skins that could be obtained on the 
western side of the mountains reached the English. Then 



French Fur Trader 


177 



i 7 8 


BEYOND THE ALLEGHANIES 


traders from Virginia and the Carolinas began crossing 
the Alleghanies to share in this profitable trade. 

The “Long Hunters.” — English traders brought back 
home stories of the abundance of game in the country 
they had visited. Game had now become scarce near the 
English settlements, and when English hunters heard 
the glowing stories of the traders, they turned to the 
West. These hunters were daring men, accustomed to 
hardship, and in their search for game they went much 
farther into the western forests than the traders had gone. 
Often hunters would remain in the West for a year or 
even two years. On account of their long absences they 
became known as the “ long hunters.” 

Kentucky and Tennessee. — The “ long hunters ” 
told the eastern settlers of the fine fertile land in the West 
inhabited only by a few scattered Indians. Lands in 
the East were rapidly being taken up; and here was the 
chance for a poor man to get land merely by occupying it. 

In 1769, Daniel Boone, then living in North Carolina, 
began exploring Kentucky. In the same year, William 
Bean of North Carolina built a home near the Watauga 
River in Tennessee. Soon other settlers removed from 
North Carolina to the Watauga. 

Five years later (1774) James Harrod, of Virginia, 
following in the wake of Boone, founded Harrodsburg 
the first town in Kentucky. 

Daniel Boone and the West 

Boone’s Early Life. — Daniel Boone was the most 
famous of all the early frontiersmen. The story of his 


THE WESTERN COUNTRY 


179 


life will give an idea of the hardships endured by the 
pioneers of the West. 

Daniel Boone was born in Pennsylvania. His parents 
were Quakers, but there was little of the quiet Quaker in 
him, for he loved adventure from the time he was a little 
fellow. When he was about sixteen years old, his father 
moved to North Carolina and 
settled in a region that was still 
a wilderness. The boy loved 
the woods and spent much of 
the time hunting. He lived for 
months away from the settle¬ 
ment. 

Boone Goes West. — From 
his cabin door in North Caro¬ 
lina Boone could see the moun¬ 
tains that raised their lofty 
peaks in the direction of the 
setting sun. As he looked 
upon them, he wondered whether the stories told about 
the country on the other side, by traders and hunters 
who had been there, were true. He resolved to find out 
for himself. If the country proved to be as wonderful 
as they had described it, he would make his home there. 
He talked so enthusiastically about exploring the West, 
that several neighbors decided to go with him. The 
party set out in 1769, and spent a month crossing the 
mountains. 

The Beautiful Lands of Kentucky. — On the summit of 
the last range, Boone and his five companions stopped 



Daniel Boone 


i8o 


BEYOND THE ALLEGHANIES 


one bright summer day to gaze upon the beautiful scene 
below them. Stretching to the west, as far as the eye 
could reach, were the great green forests and vast prairies 
of Kentucky. 

The First Winter in the West. — Descending from the 
mountains to the level country Boone built a hut in which 
to pass the winter. Later Boone and one of his friends, 
named Stewart, while on an exploring expedition, were 
captured by Indians. It was seven days before they 
could make their escape and when they returned to their 
hut they found it deserted. What became of the men 
they had left in the hut is not known. 

Boone Alone in the Forest. — Daniel Boone’s brother, 
Squire, and a companion crossed over the mountains and 
joined Boone and Stewart in their camp. Soon after¬ 
ward, Stewart was killed, probably by the Indians. The 
man who had come with Squire Boone was so frightened 
by Stewart’s death that he deserted and fled back to the 
white settlements. 

Daniel Boone and his brother continued to live in the 
wilderness. It finally became necessary for one of them 
to return home for fresh supplies, and they agreed that it 
was better for Squire to go. In that immense forest 
Daniel Boone remained alone. For three months he 
stayed there, often changing his sleeping place to keep 
the Indians from finding him. 

Boone Moves His Family to Kentucky. — When Boone’s 
brother came back, he brought supplies, and together 
these hardy frontiersmen explored a great part of Ken¬ 
tucky on horseback. Having decided to settle in Ken- 


THE WESTERN COUNTRY 


181 


lucky, the brothers returned to North Carolina for Daniel’s 
family. 

In 1773, Daniel Boone and his family set out for Ken¬ 
tucky. Other settlers joined them until there were in all 
sixty or more persons in the party. On the way, Indians 
attacked the emigrants and killed six, among whom was 
Boone’s oldest son. Most of the others were so frightened 
that they returned home. 



But Boone and his family would not retreat. The 
family stayed in a deserted cabin, while Boone went on 
ahead and joined other pioneers in building on the Ken¬ 
tucky River a fort that they called Boonesborough. To 
this fort Boone moved his family. 

Capture of Boone’s Little Daughter. — The dangers 
in such a wild country were great for men; what must 
they have been for women and children? Late one eve¬ 
ning Boone’s daughter and two other little girls went out 
on the river in a canoe. They were having so much fun 











182 


BEYOND THE ALLEGHANIES 


playing in the water and splashing with the paddles that 
before they realized it they were out of sight of the fort. 
Suddenly five Indians sprang out of the bushes, caught 
hold of the canoe, and drew it to shore. They seized the 
girls and ran into the woods with them. 

The Rescue. — The screaming of the little girls was 
heard at the fort, and the men rushed out in pursuit. 
They could follow the trail by the twigs and bits of 
clothing that the girls scattered as they were hurried 
along. 

All that night, and all the next day, the Indians carried 
their captives through the woods. On the second night, 
Boone and his men slipped upon the redskins so quickly 
that they did not have time to seize their rifles. The 
Indians, seeing that they were outmatched, fled into the 
deeper forest, leaving the little girls in the hands of their 
overjoyed rescuers. 

Boone Adopted by the Indians. — One day, while Boone 
was hunting alone, he was captured by Indians who carried 
him many miles away from Boonesborough. The Indians 
had great respect for him. They knew that he was a 
just man and had always treated them well, and they ad¬ 
mired his skill as a hunter. Instead of killing him, they 
adopted him as a member of their tribe. 

They pulled out by the roots all the hair of his head 
except a small tuft on the crown which they allowed to 
remain for a scalp lock. This they decorated with 
feathers and ribbons. They took him to a river and 
scrubbed him to wash out the white blood. Then they 
painted his face and body and dressed him in Indian 


THE WESTERN COUNTRY 183 

clothes. Truly, Boone looked so much like an Indian 
warrior that he could hardly be told from one. 

An Attack on Boonesborough. — Boone did all he 
could to keep in favor with the Indians. He knew that 
he must win their confidence or he would have no chance 
of escape. 

When Boone found out that the Indians were planning 
an attack on the fort at Boonesborough, he felt that he 
must warn the settlers 
as soon as possible. 

He seized the first op¬ 
portunity to slip away 
from his captors and 
set out in the direction 
of the fort. He had 
to go nearly a hundred 
miles, but he covered 
the distance in four 
days, although he had 
almost no food in all 
that time. As soon as the Indians discovered that Boone 
had run away, they pursued him, but failed to overtake 
him. 

Shortly after this, five hundred warriors appeared be¬ 
fore Boonesborough, and one of the most furious Indian 
battles ever fought in Kentucky followed. The brave 
defenders of the fort, though numbering only fifty, fought 
so desperately that they finally drove the savages away. 

Boone’s Old Age. — When Daniel Boone was an old 
man he lost all his property. Broken-hearted, he emi- 



Boone’s Fort 



x84 


BEYOND THE ALLEGHANIES 


grated to Missouri, where he went into the woods trap¬ 
ping for furs. 

At the age of eighty-five, the man who blazed the way 
for the settlement of the Middle West — the great hero- 
hunter— died, leaving all America indebted to him. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Describe the western country in 1760. 2. Tell of the traders 

who went into that region. 3. Account for the name “long hunters.” 
4. How were Kentucky and Tennessee settled? 

5. Tell of the boyhood of Daniel Boone. 6. Where did he go in 
1769? What was this region like? 7. Describe Boone’s life in the 
wilderness before his family joined him. 8. What happened to the 
immigrants who joined Boone on his return to Kentucky with his family ? 
9. Tell the story of the capture of the three little girls. 10. Relate 
the story of Boone’s adoption by the Indians. n. Give an account 
of the Indian attack on Boonesborough. 12. What trouble came to 
Boone in his old age? 13. Why are we indebted to Daniel Boone? 


CHAPTER XV 


LATER COLONIAL TIMES 

Growth of the Colonies 

Population. — By 1765, a little more than one hundred 
and fifty years after the English had first settled in 
America, the population of the thirteen colonies had in¬ 
creased to about a million and a half. 

The colonies were thirteen in number: New Hamp¬ 
shire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New 
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, 
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. 

Settled Areas Growing. — In the early days, when 
colonists were few, great stretches of forests separated 
the settlements of one colony from those of another. 
With the increase of population the colonists had spread 
out until, in 1765, the settled portions were almost con¬ 
tinuous along the Atlantic coast. These settled portions 
extended inland to the foot of the Alleghanies. 

Germans and Scotch-Irish. — The colonists continued 
to be overwhelmingly English; but for some years large 
numbers of Germans and Scotch-Irish had been coming 
over. Most of the Germans had sought the unoccupied 
lands of the interior of Pennsylvania and from there many 
of them, following the base of the mountains, had moved 
down into the back country of the Southern colonies. 

185 


i86 


LATER COLONIAL TIMES 


The Scotch-Irish had come in two streams, one entering 
at Philadelphia and the other at Charleston, and had 
settled between the Germans and the mountains. Most 
of the pioneers who passed over the Alleghanies a few 
years later and opened up the Middle West, were men 
and women of the hardy Scotch-Irish race. 

Trade and the Cities. — Trade had increased as rapidly 
as population. Since trade had brought much wealth 
to the colonies and had given employment to many per¬ 
sons, life in the cities and other well-settled sections had 
become more comfortable. 

Philadelphia, though it had been settled much later 
than either New York or Boston, was rivaling those 
cities as a seaport for the trade of the Northern colonies. 
Charleston had become an important port, controlling 
practically all the trade of the Southern colonies. 

Slaves and Bonded Servants. — In every colony could 
still be found slaves, redemptioners, and indentured serv¬ 
ants. Slaves had become very numerous in the South 
where they worked on the large plantations. 

Colonial Government. — The colonies still managed 
their home affairs through their assemblies. The quarrels 
between the assemblies and the governors and other 
officials, which had been going on for so many years, 
almost always ended in victories for the assemblies. 
Thus the colonists were receiving excellent training in 
self-government. All the colonies continued to require 
that a man should own property in order to vote, and 
some of them still taxed the people for the support of a 
particular church. 


GROWTH OF THE COLONIES 


187 


The Colonies in Closer Touch. — As the colonies had 
been settled as separate and distinct communities, they 
were naturally jealous of one another. Yet there were 
many things that were bringing them closer together in 
feeling. Foremost was the fact that for years hostile 
Frenchmen and Indians had been at their backs. The 
colonies, fighting shoulder to shoulder against these com¬ 
mon enemies, had learned 
to depend more upon one 
another. 

With the opening of new 
lands, and the building of 
new settlements, roads had 
improved somewhat, and 
travel from one colony to 
another had become more 
common. Between some 
of the larger towns stage¬ 
coaches, for carrying pas¬ 
sengers, were making regular trips. A colonial postal 
system had been put in operation by the British gov¬ 
ernment. While post offices were yet few in number 
and a letter was a long time in reaching its destination, 
still the postal system was another link binding the 
interests of colonies together. Newspapers had also 
been established. They were not many and none were 
dailies; yet they gave the people of one colony news of 
what the people of another colony were doing. Travel, 
letter writing, and newspaper reading brought the people 
of all the colonies closer together in their sympathies. 



Post-Rider of the Olden Times 




188 


LATER COLONIAL TIMES 


The Colonists Self-Confident. — The colonists were 
very proud of what they had accomplished. They had 
a right to be proud, for thev had erected in a wilderness 
stable communities, had built up a world-wide trade, and 
had fought successfully against the French and Indians. 
They had become confident of themselves and of their 
country. They had begun to realize that, no matter in 
what colony they lived, they all had interests in common, 
and that while they were still Englishmen and loyal to the 
mother country, they were something more — they were 
Americans. 

The Unwise Course or Great Britain 

The Mother Country Would Tax Her Colonies. — Just 
at the time when the colonies were beginning to realize 
their own strength, the British government adopted a 
very unwise course toward them. The French and In¬ 
dian War, and the many other wars that Great Britain 
had been engaged in for nearly a hundred years, had left 
the mother country very much in debt. George III 
and his ministers claimed that, as these wars had been 
waged partly to protect the American colonies, the people 
of England should not be taxed for the further protection 
of the colonies, but that the colonies should be made to 
raise the money through taxes levied by parliament. 
Therefore it was announced that parliament would be 
asked to levy a stamp tax upon the colonies. 

Under such a law all deeds, wills, mortgages, and all other 
legal papers and all newspapers and advertisements must 
bear stamps purchased from the British government. 


PATRICK HENRY AND SAMUEL ADAMS 


189 


“ Taxation without Representation.” — Naturally the 
colonists objected. They said that Great Britain had 
profited by the wars more than America had. They 
claimed that they had already paid their share of the ex¬ 
penses, and declared that they did not need British pro¬ 
tection. But the truth is, Americans objected to being 
taxed by the British parliament for any purpose whatso¬ 
ever. It will be remembered that at 
the very first meeting of the first 
colonial assembly, which was held in 
Jamestown, it was declared that the 
colonists had the same right as the 
Englishmen at home to be taxed only 
by their own representatives. This had 
come to be the established principle in 
every colony that was settled afterwards. 

If the colonists should be taxed by parliament, they 
would be taxed by a body in which they were not 
represented. They protested that “ taxation without 
representation is tyranny.” 

Passage of the Stamp Act. — In spite of the objections 
of the colonists, parliament, which was under the control 
of the king, passed the Stamp Act in 1765. 1 

Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams, Forerunners 
or the Revolution 

A Country Lawyer and His Resolutions. — The Virginia 
assembly was in session at Williamsburg when the news 

1 The comparison between the colonial policies of Great Britain and other 
countries (page 135) should be reviewed here. 



A Stamp of 1765 


190 LATER COLONIAL TIMES 

of the passage of the Stamp Act came like a summons 
to battle. The members were indignant. What to do 
was the question. There was much excited discussion. 

They were yet undecided when a tall, awkward young 
man arose to speak. He was hardly known to the others, 
for he was a country lawyer who had become a member 
of the assembly only a few days before. His name was 
Patrick Henry. This new 
member had written some 
resolutions on a blank leaf 
which he had torn from an old 
law book, and he now asked 
the house to adopt them. 
The resolutions startled the 
assembly by declaring that 
Great Britain had no right 
whatever to tax Americans 
without their consent. They 
were meant, of course, to con¬ 
demn the Stamp Act. 

Patrick Henry’s Great Speech. — It was a serious 
matter for a colonial assembly to object to a law passed 
by parliament, as the members voting to do so might be 
charged with treason. There were some even among 
those opposed to the Stamp Act, who thought that Henry 
had gone too far. When the fiery young patriot exclaimed 
“ Tarquin and Caesar had each his Brutus; Charles I, 
his Cromwell, and George III — ” some of them broke 
in with the cry, “ Treason, treason! ” but Henry defiantly 
continued — “ and George III may profit by their example. 



Patrick Henry 



PATRICK HENRY AND SAMUEL ADAMS 191 

If this be treason, make the most of it.” His resolutions 
were adopted amid intense excitement. 

Patrick Henry, the “ Son of . Thunder.” — After his 
speech against the Stamp Act, the young country lawyer, 
who had been looked down upon by the great men of 
the colony, suddenly became the leading statesman of 
Virginia, and the most famous speaker in America. His 
eloquence earned for him the nickname “ Son of Thunder.” 



Patrick Henry in the Virginia Assembly 


The Action of Virginia Stirs the Other Colonies. — When 

news reached the other colonies that Virginia had taken 
such a bold stand against the Stamp Act, the spirit of 
Americans was fired as never before. The feeling was 
aroused everywhere that the colonists should resist the 
tax. Most of the colonial assemblies followed the ex¬ 
ample of Virginia and condemned the Stamp Act. Thus 
Patrick Henry “ gave the first impulse to the ball of the 
Revolution.” 





192 


LATER COLONIAL TIMES 


The People Stand Firm. — Riots broke out in every 
colony, and stamps were seized and destroyed. “ Liberty, 
property, and no stamps.! ” was the popular cry. Crowds 
marched through the streets carrying banners upon which 
was printed, “ England’s Folly and America’s Ruin.” 
Societies, called “ Sons of Liberty,” were formed for the 
purpose of resisting the tax. Merchants of New York 
and other towns agreed not to buy goods from England 
as long as the Stamp Act was a law. Women formed 
societies, called “ Daughters of Liberty,” for spinning 
thread, weaving cloth, and knitting socks. It came to 
be the fashion to wear homemade clothes. 

Samuel Adams. — Boston became the center of the 
opposition, and Samuel Adams was the leader. Adams 
was of a fine old family, and a graduate of Harvard College. 
His father had left him some property, but Adams spent 
so much time working for the rights of the people that 
his own business went to ruin and he was reduced to 
poverty. He became the people’s trusted champion, 
and he never betrayed their trust. 

The Stamp Act Repealed. — The Stamp Act was never 
put into effect, because when the day came for it to be¬ 
come a law, there was no one in all America who would 
sell the stamps that had not been destroyed. The courts 
could not proceed and all business requiring stamped 
paper was at a standstill. Ships lay idle at their docks. 
However, newspapers were issued bearing skulls and cross- 
bones in place of the stamps. 

There was great rejoicing among the colonists at the 
failure of the act. The rejoicing was still greater when 


PATRICK HENRY AND SAMUEL ADAMS 


the British parliament, seeing that Americans could not 
be forced to use the stamps, repealed the law. 

The Colonies again Taxed. — Great Britain, however, 
had no idea of giving up her claim to the right to tax 
America. Shortly after the repeal of the Stamp Act, 
parliament passed an act taxing all glass, paper, lead, 
paints, and tea brought to the colonies. Again the 
Americans were aroused, and 
they declared that they would 
not buy these articles as long as 
they were taxed. 

Samuel Adams and His Circu¬ 
lar Letter.—Samuel Adams once 
more came to the front. He 
wrote a circular letter for the 
Massachusetts assembly, asking 
the other colonies to join in 
“ maintaining the liberties of 
America.” All the colonies re¬ 
sponded, saying that they would stand by Massachusetts. 

The “ Boston Massacre.” — In Boston the feeling 
became so intense that two regiments of British troops 
were sent to the town, at the request of the governor, to 
help him keep order. The king announced to parliament 
that he would make Boston obey the laws. 

The people of Boston resented having troops forced 
upon them, and there were many quarrels between the 
citizens and the soldiers. On a night in March, 1770, a 
riot occurred in which the citizens fought with sticks and 
balls of ice while the soldiers used their muskets. Firing 




194 


LATER COLONIAL TIMES 


into the crowd, the soldiers killed five citizens and wounded 
others. In the moonlight the stain of blood shone red 
on the snow. “ That stain, though it melted away in 
the next day’s sun, was never forgotten nor forgiven.” 

A Famous “ Tea Party.” — The bitter opposition of 
the colonists to the taxes caused Great Britain to remove 
all except the tax on tea. This tax she kept merely as a 
sign that she did not give up her claim to the right to tax 
America. And just because of the claim, the colonists 
objected, for it was taxation without representation still. 

As the tax on tea affected the women chiefly, they de¬ 
cided to do without tea, and used in place of it the dried 
leaves of mullein, catnip, sage, or raspberry. 

Three English ships loaded with tea appeared in Boston 
harbor. In the darkness of night, about sixty men, dis¬ 
guised as Indians, boarded the ships and threw the tea 
into the harbor. This affair, known as the “ Boston Tea 
Party,” occurred in 1773. 

In New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston the people 
either drove away the ships bringing tea, or seized the 
tea. 

Boston Punished. — The British government was very 
angry with the people of Boston for destroying the tea, 
and parliament passed a law closing the port of the town. 
No ships were allowed to enter or to leave the harbor. 
Of course this was a serious blow to the business of Boston, 
It began to look as if the people would be hard pressed 
for food; but every other colony came to their assistance, 
and rye, flour, rice, peas, cattle, sheep, oil, fish, and money 
poured into the town. Even far-away Georgia sent rice 


PATRICK HENRY AND SAMUEL ADAMS 


195 



and money. The cause of Boston was felt to be the 
cause of all America.. The day on which the port bill 
went into effect was observed throughout the country as 
a day of mourning, fasting, and prayer. 

Virginia Calls a Continental Congress. — The governor 
of Virginia would not allow the assembly of that colony 
to meet. The members, 
therefore, formed a con¬ 
vention which invited all 
the colonies to hold a 
Congress for the purpose 
of consulting as to what 
had best be done to pro¬ 
tect the interests of 
America. 

Meeting of the First 
Continental Congress.— 

In response to this invi¬ 
tation of Virginia, the 
First Continental Con¬ 
gress met in Philadelphia 
in 1774. The Congress 
condemned the acts 
passed by parliament for the taxation of America and 
approved the course of Massachusetts in opposing them. 
It advised all the colonies to help Massachusetts if Great 
Britain should attempt by force to put the laws into 
effect. 

Both Sides Determined. — Meanwhile, in every colony 
military companies were organized and constantly drilled. 


Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia, 1774 
Where the First Continental Congress met 













196 


LATER COLONIAL TIMES 


Some of these companies were called “ minutemen ” be¬ 
cause their members pledged themselves to be ready at 
a minute’s notice to fight for their country. Swords and 
bayonets were forged, bullets were molded, muskets 
were made, and gunpowder was manufactured. Each 
colony tried to outdo the others in preparing for defense. 

Nor was Great Britain idle. The prime minister 
boasted that he was determined to see America at the 
king’s feet. He sent more soldiers to reenforce the troops 
at Boston. Massachusetts was declared to be in a state 
of rebellion, and General Gage was made military gover¬ 
nor of the colony. To prevent an attack from the pa¬ 
triots, Gage threw up fortifications around Boston. 

Another Great Speech by Patrick Henry. — At a con¬ 
vention held in Richmond, Virginia, in the spring of 1775, 
Patrick Henry offered resolutions urging that the militia 
of the colony be even better organized for resistance. 
The resolutions were adopted. Some members of the 
convention, though disliking the action of Great Britain, 
still hoped that the quarrel between the colonies and the 
mother country might be settled peaceably. These mem¬ 
bers did not like Henry’s resolutions, for they could mean 
but one thing — war. To the members who yet hoped 
for peace Henry passionately cried: 

“ Gentlemen may cry peace, peace — but there is no 
peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that 
sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of 
resounding arms. Why stand we here idle? Is life so 
dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of 
chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


197 


not what course others may take, but, as for me, give me 
liberty or give me death” 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

I. What was the population of the thirteen colonies in 1765? 
2. How had settlements expanded? 3. Tell of the coming of the 
Germans and the Scotch-Irish. 4. Describe the condition of trade. 
5. What can you say of the cities? 6. What may be said of slaves 
and bonded white servants? 7. Give an account of the colonial 
governments. 8. Give reasons for the colonies having become closer 
in feeling. 9. How did the colonists feel toward England? 10. Of 
what accomplishments were they proud? 

II. Why did Great Britain decide to tax the colonists? 12. What 
was the Stamp Act? 13. Why did the colonists object to it? 
14. When was the Stamp Act passed? 

15. Tell about Patrick Henry and how he “gave the first impulse 
to the ball of the Revolution.” 16. How did the people show their 
opposition to the Stamp Act? 17. Who led the opposition in Massa¬ 
chusetts? Tell what you can of this great patriot. 18. Why was the 
Stamp Act not put into effect? 19. What other taxes were imposed 
on the colonists? 20. Tell of Samuel Adams’ circular letter. 
21. Why did the king send troops to Boston? 22. What clash came 
between the citizens of Boston and the soldiers? 23. Tell the story 
of the famous “tea party.” 24. How did the British government 
punish the people of Boston? 25. How did the other colonists feel 
about Great Britain’s treatment of Boston, and what did they do? 
26. How was the meeting of the First Continental Congress brought 
about? 27. When and where did the Congress meet, and what did it 
accomplish? 28. Who were the “minutemen”? 29. What was the 
next move made by Great Britain? 30. Relate what happened at 
the convention held in Richmond in 1775. 


CHAPTER XVI 


ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 

George Washington, Commander of the 
American Army 

Battle of Lexington. — The warning of Patrick Henry, 
that “ the next gale that swept from the north would 
bring the clash of resounding arms,” came true. Less 
than a month after he made his speech in the Virginia 
convention, a battle was fought in Massachusetts and the 
Revolutionary War began. 

About daylight on the morning of April 19, 1775, 
British soldiers fired into a small party of minutemen 
who had gathered on the village green at Lexington, ten 
miles from Boston. Eight men were killed and several 
wounded. The soldiers thought they were doing some¬ 
thing very much to their credit in killing a few minute- 
men, but the battle of Lexington sealed the doom of 
British rule in America. 

The British Retreat. — With loud huzzas the soldiers 
marched on to Concord for the purpose of destroying 
the guns and ammunition that the patriots had stored 
there. By the time the soldiers reached Concord, the 
alarm had gone through the country and many Ameri¬ 
cans, armed for battle, had already arrived in the town. 

108 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, COMMANDER 199 

After a skirmish, in which the patriots gained the ad¬ 
vantage, the soldiers began a retreat to Boston. 

The Americans followed. From behind houses, fences, 
and trees the patriots poured shots into the ranks of the 
British, many of whom fell dead. Panic-stricken, the 
soldiers fled in disorder. The patriots kept up the pur¬ 
suit until the British had reached Boston. 



The Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775 
After an engraving made by two Continental militiamen who were 
in the battle 


Effect of Lexington upon the Country. — Reports of 
the fighting spread so rapidly that by the next morning a 
small army of New England militiamen had gathered in 
camp near Boston, ready to defend their rights. 

The news flew from colony to colony. Men on fleet 
horses galloped through town and village crying, “To 
arms! to arms! the war has begun.” The patriots, 
dropping their work, rushed to arms. 





200 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 



Washington Made Commander-in-Chief. — The Con¬ 
tinental Congress was in session in Philadelphia when 
the news of the battle of Lexington reached that town. 
Immediately plans were made to carry on the war. 

George Washington was 
chosen commander-in-chief 
of the American forces. 

Bunker Hill. — Before 
Washington could take 

command of the army, 
another battle had been 
. fought near Boston, where 
the Americans had thrown 
up intrenchments on a spur 
of Bunker Hill. 

General Gage ordered his 
troops to seize this point, 
and twice the British 
charged up the hill only to 

Bunker Hill Monument . , . . . . ",. 

be driven back by the 
Americans. Once again the British charged ■— this time 
with success. The ammunition of the Americans had 
given out, and they were forced to retreat. 

The battle of Bunker Hill, though ending in defeat, 
greatly encouraged the Americans, for twice their militia 
had driven back trained British soldiers. They were 
soon to find, however, that they had little ground for 
confidence. 

The American Army. — When Washington took com¬ 
mand of the patriots near Boston, they could hardly be 



GEORGE WASHINGTON, COMMANDER 


201 


called an army, but rather a great “ gathering of neigh¬ 
bors, school-fellows, and friends.” Many did not have 
bayonets and some even lacked muskets. Their only 
food was what patriotic farmers gave them. Unused to 
soldier life, the Americans were high-spirited and unruly. 
It was one of the hardest tasks of Washington’s life t<? 
make of this motley crowd a well- 
organized army. 

The British Driven from Boston. — 

During the next summer and winter, 

Washington was unable to risk a battle 
because he did not have enough am¬ 
munition. In the spring, however, he 
determined upon a move. In one night 
he fortified Dorchester Heights, a hill 
near Boston, and so placed his guns as 
to have the British army and fleet at 
his mercy. 

When General Howe, then in com¬ 
mand of the British forces, awoke in the morning he was 
surprised to see what the Americans had done. Knowing 
that he could hold Boston no longer, he embarked all 
his troops on the fleet and set sail for Nova Scotia, and 
the Americans took possession of the town. 

The Declaration of Independence. — Up to this time 
the Americans had been fighting only in self-defense and 
without any clear idea of separating from the mother 
country. But the desire for independence had grown and 
on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the 
Declaration of Independence, declaring that “ the colo- 



A Continental 
Soldier 


202 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 


nies are and of a right ought to be free and independent 
states.” From this time on the Americans fought to 
become an independent people. 

It should be remembered, however, that in every colony 
there were Americans who sided with Great Britain, some 
even fighting in the British army. The patriots called 
these men “ Tories ” and called themselves “ Whigs.” 

Capture of New York. — Washington knew that the 
British would not remain idle, and felt sure that the next 
point attacked would be New York City. Therefore, he 
marched his forces from Boston across country to New 
York. He had hardly arrived when General Howe and 
his army appeared in the harbor, supported by a strong 
fleet. The little American army made a brave stand to 
save New York, but it was overwhelmingly defeated by 
the larger force of the British, and compelled to retire 
to a point above the city. The British then took 
possession of New York and held it until the end of 
the war. 

Days of Gloom. — The loss of New York greatly dis¬ 
couraged the Americans. Soldiers, whose term of service 
had expired, went home in such large numbers that Wash¬ 
ington was left with only the remnant of an army. 

Fortunately, Washington would not yield to despair. 
Believing that the British would next try to capture Phila¬ 
delphia, he crossed over into New Jersey to block their 
way. He had only a few men and could not stop the tri¬ 
umphant march of the large British force through New 
Jersey. All he could do was to retreat before the enemy, 
and watch for a good chance to attack. 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, COMMANDER 


203 


The American soldiers suffered dreadfully on the re¬ 
treat which continued until they had crossed into Penn¬ 
sylvania. They had little to eat, and their scanty cover¬ 
ing could not protect them from the cold, which was very 
severe. Their path was marked by the bloodstains that 
their bare feet left on the 
snow. 

The outlook seemed dark 
for America. Many of the 
people of New York, New 
Jersey, and Pennsylvania be¬ 
lieved that the cause was 
lost, and sought protection 
of the British arms instead of 
helping Washington and his 
army. 

Trenton and Princeton. — 

Still, Washington did not de¬ 
spair, though his heart ached 
on account of the faithlessness 
of his people. Hoping to win 
back, by a bold stroke, the 
confidence of the Americans, 
he determined to attack a 
British force that was then stationed at Trenton, New 
Jersey. 

The force at Trenton was composed of a number of 
Hessians. These were German troops whom King George 
had hired to fight against the Americans. Washington 
believed that in celebrating Christmas the Hessians would 



George Washington in 1775 
After the portrait by Peale 


204 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 

be off their guard, and he chose that night to attack them. 
In a storm of snow and sleet he and his men had to cross 
the Delaware River in rowboats through masses of floating 
ice. Because of the severe weather they were delayed 
until daylight before reaching Trenton. Yet the Hessians 
were taken by surprise and completely routed. Many 
prisoners and a considerable amount of arms and ammuni¬ 
tion fell into the hands of the patriots. After the battle 
of Trenton, Washington marched on to Princeton, where 
he defeated and routed another detachment of the British. 

Hopes of the Americans Revive. — The results of the 
battles at Trenton and Princeton revived the hopes of 
the American people. Patriots of New Jersey rose again 
in defense of their homes and drove the British garrisons 
from the other towns of the state. When the summer 
of 1777 came, the enemy had lost all ground they had 
gained except the city of New York. 

Capture of Philadelphia. — Reverses to the Americans 
came soon again. Howe planned another attack on Phila¬ 
delphia. He carried his army by sea to the head of Chesa¬ 
peake Bay and marched it from there across the country. 
Washington hurried his forces overland to try to stop 
the British general. 

Washington’s men were poorly armed and were clad 
in all sorts of coats, most of which were in rags. Howe 
had an army of well-equipped and well-disciplined troops 
nearly twice the size of Washington’s force. 

The ill-matched armies met near Brandywine Creek, 
in Pennsylvania, in September, 1777, and a battle followed 
in which Washington was defeated by the superior force of 


GEORGE WASHINGTON, COMMANDER 205 

the enemy. Howe entered Philadelphia, but the Conti¬ 
nental Congress had left the city to meet elsewhere. 

The Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman, who 
had left home and wealth and high position in France to 
help the Americans in their struggle for liberty, was 
wounded at the battle of Brandywine. 

A Band of Heroes at Valley Forge. — As cold weather 
was coming on, Washington placed his shivering little 



Valley Forge 

Washington and Lafayette visiting the suffering army. After the 
painting by A. Gilbert 


army in winter quarters at Valley Forge, a short distance 
from Philadelphia. The suffering of the soldiers during 
the winter that followed can hardly be described. The 
men cut down trees to build huts of the logs, but even 
then they could not protect themselves from the cold. 
Blankets were few and it was a common thing for two men 
to share a suit of clothes — one staying in his hut, covered 
with rags, straw, and leaves, while the other wore it. The 
sick lay upon the dirt floors of the huts, without proper 




206 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 


food or medicine, and many of them died. Yet the little 
band remained faithful. 

Surrender of Burgoyne. Alliance with France. — 

Meanwhile (1777) a large army composed of British, Ca¬ 
nadians, Tories, and Indians, and commanded by General 
Burgoyne, had invaded upper New York from Canada. 
Meeting defeat in two battles near Saratoga and almost 



The Surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga 


surrounded by the Americans, Burgoyne had surrendered 
his army. Besides the great number of men, a vast 
amount of war supplies had been captured. General 
Horatio Gates had commanded the Americans, but the 
victory was almost wholly due to his subordinate officers, 
especially Benedict Arnold and Daniel Morgan. 

Since the king of France looked upon England as his 
hereditary enemy, he desired that the Americans should 
win the war; and the surrender of Burgoyne made him 
think that they would if he helped them. Therefore, in 



GEORGE WASHINGTON, COMMANDER 207 

1778, he made an alliance whereby France would aid 
America. 

Evacuation of Philadelphia. — With the coming of 
spring, news was received that France had consented to 
aid the Americans in their struggle for freedom, and the 
gloom at Valley Forge was dispelled. 

On the other hand, the British forces in Philadelphia — 
now commanded by General Clinton —were much dis¬ 
turbed by this news. They feared that a French fleet 
would come up the river, cut them off from the sea, and 
help the Americans pen them up in Philadelphia. They 
hurriedly left the town and retreated toward New 
York. 

Immediately everything was stirring at Valley Forge, 
for Washington resolved to attack the retreating British. 
He pursued them hotly and came upon them at Monmouth, 
New Jersey. In the battle that followed the British were 
driven from the field. Under the cover of night they con¬ 
tinued their retreat to New York. The British army, 
driven back to New York, now held no more of the country 
than it had held three years before. 

Treason of Benedict Arnold. — Washington moved his 
army close to New York to watch Clinton. While he 
was thus engaged one of the saddest incidents of the war 
occurred. Benedict Arnold, who as a general in the 
American army had shown such bravery at Saratoga and 
other battles, tried to betray his country by turning over 
to the British the fort at West Point, the most important 
post on the Hudson River. The plot was discovered by 
the capture of Major Andre, who was acting as a messen- 


208 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 

ger between the British and General Arnold. Andre was 
hanged as a spy, but Arnold escaped to the British, and 
was made a general in their army. 

Washington Watching New York. — Though at no 
time was his army strong enough to drive the British 
from New York, Washington continued for three years 
to keep a close watch of the city. We will, therefore, 
leave for a time the account of his campaigns to learn of 
other important events of the Revolution. 

Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration 
of Independence 

A Student Listens to an Orator. — While Patrick Henry 
was making his eloquent speech in opposition to the Stamp 
Act in the Virginia assembly at Williamsburg, a young 
man, seventeen years old, stood at the door listening 
eagerly. The young man was Thomas Jefferson, then a 
student at William and Mary College. He was strongly 
opposed to the taxing of America by Great Britain, and 
it may easily be imagined how Patrick Henry’s eloquence 
fired his youthful heart. 

Jefferson in His Younger Days. — Thomas Jefferson 
was the son of a rich planter. His early life was that 
usual to the sons of the wealthy Virginians of those days — 
a life of culture, refinement, and ease. At college he was 
a hard student, but he was fond of music and dancing 
and the society of young ladies, and would often ride many 
miles to attend a party. He was full of fun and wit, and 
had a grace of manner that made him a great favorite in 
the social circles of Virginia. 


THOMAS JEFFERSON 


209 


Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. — At thirty 
years of age, Jefferson was elected a member of the Virginia 
assembly. Just at that time, all America was greatly 
excited over the tax on tea, and Jefferson at once took a 
prominent part in the assembly in opposition to Great 
Britain’s policy. Patrick Henry was a member of the 
assembly at the same time 
and was still the leader of 
the opposition. Jefferson, 
though seven years the 
younger, made him an able 
co-worker. As has been 
aptly said, Henry could not 
write well, but was a 
wonderful orator; Jefferson 
could not speak well, but 
was a powerful writer. To¬ 
gether they worked, Henry 
speaking and Jefferson writ¬ 
ing, to persuade the colony that the only thing left 
to do was to resist by force the injustice of Great 
Britain. 

Jefferson Declared a Traitor by Great Britain. — In 

his efforts to arouse the people, Jefferson wrote an article 
denouncing the course of Great Britain and urging all 
the colonies to make a united stand against it. So bold 
was the article that the British government declared the 
writer a traitor. Jefferson could not be frightened in 
this waj^, and he kept on appealing to the people to defend 
their rights* 



Thomas Jefferson 
After the portrait by Gilbert Stuart 


210 


ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 


Writing the Declaration of Independence. — Jefferson 
was everywhere recognized as the ablest writer on political 
subjects in America. When the Continental Congress 
got ready to adopt the Declaration of Independence, 
Jefferson, who was then a member of that body, was 
selected to write it. There was no one in Congress and 
perhaps no one in the world who could have done the work 


uu-4 prCz cLj^sl. C,€L c/X ovC'v 

(jaj&o gust- ^ &i/yy ^cl CsrC() ^un^ur^unr g ‘ » 



Facsimile of the Last Lines of the Declaration of Independence 
In the writing of Jefferson, with the first three signatures 


better. The Declaration of Independence is one of the 
greatest papers ever written. 

Some members of Congress were not sure that it was 
wise to adopt the Declaration. Jefferson, who, as we 
have said, was no speaker, did not defend it on the floor 
of Congress. He left this to be done by his friend John 
Adams, a Massachusetts orator, and a cousin of Samuel 
Adams. So well did John Adams perform his part that 
the Declaration was adopted, July 4, 1776. 




FRANKLIN AND THE FRENCH ALLIANCE 


2IZ 


What the Declaration Meant. — In the Declaration 
of Independence, Americans proclaimed themselves free 
from British rule. Of course, their saying that they were 
free did not, of itself, make them free. It took them five 
more years to win their independence. 

Benjamin Franklin and the French Alliance 

America’s Agent in France. — The man who secured 
the French Alliance was Benjamin Franklin, whom the 
Continental Congress had sent to France to get aid. 

Franklin’s Boyhood. — Benjamin 
Franklin was born in Boston, the 
son of a candle and soap maker. 

Benjamin was the youngest son in 
a family of seventeen children. 

His father first sent him to the 
public schools of Boston and then 
to a private academy. 

When Benjamin was ten years 

. .... Franklin’s Birthplace 

old, he began to work m his 

father’s shop. Although he had to work hard all day, 
at night he read every book he could lay his hand on. At 
first he borrowed books. He could not borrow many, 
for at that time books were few throughout the colonies. 
By saving his wages, Franklin was at last able to buy some 
books. The first one that he bought was <£ The Pilgrim’s 
Progress,” and he read it many times. It was this habit 
of constant reading when a boy that made Franklin a 
deep thinker when he grew to be a man. From being a 
deep thinker, he became a great benefactor to mankind. 




212 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 

Franklin worked in his father’s shop for two years. 
Then an older brother James, who had just set up a 
printing business in Boston, agreed to take Ben into his 
shop. There Ben quickly learned the printer’s trade. 

Franklin Runs Away. — Franklin continued his reading, 
for he saved half the money his brother gave him to pay 
for his board, and bought books with it. Often his meal 
would consist of only a biscuit or a slice of bread, and a 
handful of raisins. 

The brothers did not get on well together. Quarrels 
were frequent and the older one would often strike the 
younger. Unable to stand this harsh treatment longer, 
Ben ran away when he was seventeen years old. 

The Runaway’s First Day in Philadelphia. — Franklin 
went by sea from Boston to New York, but failing to get 
work there, he journeyed on foot to Philadelphia. He 
arrived hungry and tired, with only a dollar in his pocket. 
He was lonely for he did not know a soul in the city, but 
hunger gave him more worry just then than loneliness. 
The first thing he did was to spend a part of his last dollar 
to buy three loaves of bread. Putting a loaf under each 
arm, and eating the third, he set out to look for a place 
to sleep. His clothes were dusty, and not having a bag, 
he had stuffed shirt and stockings into his pocket. He 
looked so ridiculous that a little girl standing in the front 
doorway of her home laughed at him as he passed. This 
same saucy little girl afterward became the wife of the 
runaway boy. 

Under the rough appearance of the boy, there was a 
noble, generous heart. Later in the day, he found a 


FRANKLIN AND THE FRENCH ALLIANCE 


213 


woman and a little child who were hungry, and Franklin 
divided his bread with them. 

When the weary traveler at last found a lodging place, 
he went to bed early, and slept soundly. The next day 
a printer gave him a trial at typesetting, and seeing how 
well he could work, offered him a position. 

Publisher of a Newspaper and an Almanac. — Thus 
Benjamin Franklin began life in Philadelphia. By hard 
work and by saving his earnings 
he was soon able to set up a print¬ 
ing shop of his own, and publish 
a newspaper and an almanac. In 
those days a number of almanacs 
were printed in America. They 
were very popular because reading 
matter was scarce. Every home 
had an almanac and often there 
would be no other book, besides the 
Bible, for family use. Franklin de- Franklin’s Printing 
cided to use his almanac, which he Press 

called “ Poor Richard’s Almanac,” as a means for teach- 
ing, through bits of wisdom, that he who is industrious 
and frugal leads a ha'ppy and a good life. 

“ Poor Richard’s ” Wisdom. — The maxims of “ Poor 
Richard ” are full of wit and humor, and are written in 
such a plain way that they carry their truths straight to 
the heart. Most of them are used commonly in our 
speech to-day. “ God helps them that help themselves,” 
“ Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day,” 
“ A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” and “ Early 







214 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 

to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, 
and wise,” are known to us all. “ Poor Richard’s ” 
sayings were reprinted in many languages and they made 
Franklin’s name famous the world over. 

Franklin a Many-Sided Man. — Besides being a writer, 
Franklin did successfully many things along other lines. 
He it was who discovered that lightning is a form of 

electricity and, following up 
this discovery, invented the 
lightning rod. His many 
valuable discoveries in elec¬ 
tricity greatly increased 
throughout the world the 
fame that his writings had 
already brought him. 

Franklin organized a 
library in Philadelphia, 
founded a school which 
afterward became the Uni¬ 
versity of Pennsylvania, and 
built the first hospital in the town. He organized the 
first fire company in Philadelphia, and was a member of 
it for fifty years. He invented the Franklin stove, which 
is still used in many homes. 

Franklin in Congress. — Franklin was an old man when 
the Revolution began, but Pennsylvania sent him as a 
delegate to the Continental Congress, and he served on 
the committee appointed to draw up the Declaration of 
Independence. 

When Congress wished Franklin to go to France to get 



Benjamin Franklin 
After the portrait by Duplessis 


FRANKLIN AND THE FRENCH ALLIANCE 215 

aid for America, he said, “ I am old and good for nothing, 
but as the storekeepers say of their remnants of cloth, ‘ I 
am but a fag end and you may have me for what you 
please/ ” But Congress knew better. If Franklin, with 
his shrewd mind and his great reputation in Europe, 
could not secure aid from the king of France, nobody in 
America could. 

Franklin in France. — The French people gave Franklin 
a hearty welcome. Crowds followed him on the streets 
of Paris, and great men and women feasted him. His 
picture was hung in public places and in many homes; 
his head was engraved on jewelry. Franklin, though 
pleased with such attention, had so much common sense 
that he did not let it keep him from attending to the serious 
business that had carried him to France. He remained 
in that country during the rest of the war. 

By his skillful management Franklin persuaded the 
king of France to lend secretly, from time to time, large 
sums of money to aid the Americans in their struggle. As 
has already been stated, the king of France wished the 
Americans to succeed because he hated Great Britain. 
Upon the surrender of Burgoyne, Franklin persuaded 
him to come out openly for the Revolution and to sign 
a treaty between France and America. Then the king 
sent French troops and French fleets to America to as¬ 
sist in the war. 

Without the aid of France we should not have won 
our independence when we did, and without the skill of 
Franklin we should probably not have received that 
aid. 


Si6 ARMED RESISTANCE TO GREAT BRITAIN 
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Describe the first battle of the Revolution. 2. How did the 
people receive the news of the battle of Lexington? 3. What did the 
Continental Congress do? 4. Describe the battle of Bunker Hill. 
$„ What was the condition of the army when Washington took com¬ 
mand? 6. How were the British frightened out of Boston ? 7. What 

was the Declaration of Independence ? When was it adopted ? 8. De¬ 

scribe Washington’s retreat through New Jersey. 9. Tell about the 
battles of Trenton and Princeton. 10. Describe the battle of Brandy¬ 
wine. Who was Lafayette ? 11. Tell about the winter at Valley Forge. 

12. What army was captured in 1777, and what aid did this victory bring 
us from Europe? 13. Why did the British give up Philadelphia? 
Where did they go? 14. Tell the story of Benedict Arnold and West 
Point. 15. What did Washington do for three years after Clinton 
had retired to New York? 

16. Tell about the youth of Thomas Jefferson. 17. How did he 
and Patrick Henry work together ? 18. Why was Jefferson denounced 

by the British government? 19. What great paper did Jefferson 
write? 20. Who defended this paper in the Continental Congress 
and secured its adoption? 21. What did the Declaration of Inde¬ 
pendence proclaim? 22. For how long afterward did Americans have 
to fight for their rights ? 

23. Tell the story of Benjamin Franklin’s life. 24. Relate the 
incidents of his first day in Philadelphia. 25. What business was he 
finally able to establish for himself ? 26. Mention some of the sayings 

of “Poor Richard.” 27. What great discovery did Franklin make? 
What institutions did he found in Philadelphia? 28. On what com¬ 
mittee did he serve when a member of the Continental Congress? 

29. To what country was he sent by Congress? For what purpose? 

30. What did he accomplish for America there ? 


CHAPTER XVII 


A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 

George Rogers Clark Holds the Illinois 
Country 

The British Incite the Indians in the Northwest. — The 

British had placed garrisons in the old French towns of 
the region between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes* 
then known as the Illinois country. These garrisons 
incited the neighboring Indians to cross the Ohio River 
and attack the American settlements west of the Alle¬ 
ghany Mountains. 

George Rogers Clark, a young surveyor, had only a 
few years before moved from Virginia to Kentucky. 
He conceived the idea of taking the French towns, and 
by holding them, putting a stop to the Indian raids. 

Kentucky was still a part of Virginia and Virginia 
also claimed the Illinois country. Patrick Henry was 
then governor of Virginia, and Clark journeyed all the 
way to Williamsburg to get from him permission to carry 
out his scheme. 

Clark Seizes the Illinois Country. — Having received 
from Governor Henry permission to undertake the 
expedition, Clark returned to Kentucky and raised a 
force of less than two hundred volunteers. This small 
band crossed the Ohio River, in the summer of 1778, and 


217 


2l8 


A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 


marched through many miles of wilderness. Often they 
went hungry, and the heat was intense. Coming upon 
Kaskaskia in Illinois, they took it by surprise. In quick 
succession Cahoka in Illinois and Vincennes in Indiana 
surrendered. All these towns were taken without the 
loss of a man. 

The Contest for Vincennes. — Colonel Hamilton, the 
British commander at Detroit, heard with amazement 
of Clark’s bold stroke. Col¬ 
lecting a large force, mostly 
Indians, he descended upon 
Vincennes and retook that 
town. When Clark learned 

of what Hamilton had done, 
he said, “ I must take Hamil¬ 
ton, or he will take me.” 
Clark was then at Kaskaskia, 
two hundred and fifty miles 
away. It was now the dead 

of winter, yet with his little 

army he set out for Vin¬ 

cennes. The march was exceedingly difficult, for much 
of the country was covered with water. At many places 
the men had to wade through water reaching to their arm- 
pits. Without warning Clark appeared before Vincennes 
and, after a short but sharp fight, once more took posses¬ 
sion of the town. Colonel Hamilton, who was among the 
captured, was sent to Virginia as a prisoner of war. 

The Debt We Owe to Clark. — Clark continued to hold 
Illinois country. By making friends of some of the Indian 



George Rogers Clark 


JOHN PAUL JONES 


219 


tribes, and by defeating others, he was able to protect the 
American settlements in the West from raids from north 
of the Ohio. The brave work of Clark and his men had 
an even more important result. Had they not held the 
Illinois country when the war ended, Great Britain would 
probably have retained that region and made it a part 
of Canada. Our northern boundary would then have 
been the Ohio River instead of the Great Lakes. From 
the territory saved by Clark have been formed the states 
of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and 
a part of Minnesota. 

John Paul Jones, the Naval Hero of the 
Revolution 

Jones an Officer in the American Navy. — John Paul 
Jones was born in Scotland, the son of a gardener. His 
name was at first John Paul. At the age of twelve he 
became a sailor, and, after fifteen years of seafaring life, 
he settled in Virginia. It was upon his coming to Vir¬ 
ginia that he added Jones to his name. 

Soon after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, 
John Paul Jones was appointed an officer in the little navy 
that the Continental Congress had created. He made a 
number of cruises and destroyed many British merchant 
ships. He even attacked ships close to the English 
coast. 

The Bon Homme Richard and the Serapis .— In the 

year 1779, Jones was cruising off the coast of England 
in a warship which France had loaned America. This 
vessel was called Bon Homme Richard in compliment to 


220 


A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 


Benjamin Franklin’s “ Poor Richard.” After sunset of 
an autumn day, he came across the British warship, 
Serapis, and immediately a fierce fight began. Jones 
lashed the ships together, and with the firing at such close 
range, the decks of both vessels were soon strewn with 
dead and wounded. 

Once, when the British commander thought that the 
Americans were weakening, he asked Jones whether he 
was ready to surrender, and Jones replied, “ I have not 
begun to fight.” Finally, the Americans’ fire became 
too terrible to withstand longer, and the British com¬ 
mander himself surrendered. Immediately Jones and 
his men boarded the Serapis. Shortly afterward the 
Bon Homme Richard, which had been badly shot up, went 
to the bottom. The fight between the Bon Homme 
Richard and the Serapis was the greatest sea battle of 
the Revolutionary War and one of the most hotly con¬ 
tested of history. 

The Partisan Bands of the South 

A Fort of Palmetto Logs. — In 1776, a few days before 
the Declaration of Independence was adopted, a British 
fleet, having on board a strong army, appeared before 
Charleston for the purpose of conquering South Carolina. 

On hearing that a fleet was going to attack the town, 
the militia had built a fort of palmetto logs on Sullivan’s 
Island at the entrance of the harbor. Many thought that 
this fort was too weak to withstand a bombardment, 
and advised that it be abandoned. 

But Colonel William Moultrie, who commanded the 


THE PARTISAN BANDS OF THE SOUTH 


221 



fort, felt sure that his brave men behind the palmetto 
logs would stop the approach of the enemy. 

When the fort was finished a sea captain asked Moul 
trie, “ Well, what do you think of it now?” 

Moultrie replied, “ I think we shall beat them.” 


The Attack on Fort Moultrie 

“ Sir,” said the captain, “ when those ships come to 
lie alongside your fort, they will knock it down in half an 
hour.” 

“ Then,” quickly remarked Moultrie, “ we will lie 
behind the ruins and prevent their men from landing.” 

Attack on Fort Moultrie. — All through a hot June 
day the battle raged. The ships pounded away at the 



222 


A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 


palmetto logs, but they could not batter down the fort ? 
for the balls that struck it sank into the soft wood without 
doing any damage. Though the Americans had to fire 
sparingly because their ammunition was scarce, they di¬ 
rected their aim so well that the ships were nearly riddled. 
After nightfall the fleet sailed away. The fort on 
Sullivan’s Island has ever since been called Fort Moultrie. 

Capture of Savannah and Charleston. — The defeat 
of the British at the battle of Fort Moultrie was so com¬ 
plete that they did not make another attempt to conquer 
the South for nearly three years. Then (1778) they 
captured Savannah, which was only feebly protected. 

Their success at Savannah encouraged the British to 
attack Charleston a second time. General Clinton came 
down by sea from New York to take charge of the cam¬ 
paign. After a long siege, both by army and fleet, the 
town was compelled to surrender in the spring of 1780. 

South Carolina and Georgia Overrun. — The Con¬ 
tinental Congress had never furnished an army for the 
protection of the South, and, after Charleston was 
captured, South Carolina and Georgia seemed helpless. 
They had no army, and Congress could send them none; 
they had no funds, and Congress could give them no 
financial aid. 

British soldiers spread over the country. They treated 
the Whigs most cruelly, seizing or destroying their 
property and driving them from their homes. Bands of 
Tories committed as many outrages as British soldiers. 
People who did not wish to take either side in the war 
were not allowed to remain neutral, for General Clinton 


THE PARTISAN BANDS OF THE SOUTH 223 

ordered that all who would not take up arms for the king 
should be treated as rebels. 

Partisan Warfare. — Clinton, believing that the cam¬ 
paign in the South was practically won, returned to New 
York. He left Lord Cornwallis in command. The 
British, by their very cruelty, had aroused the people to 
resistance, and since there was no army for them to 
join, they gathered together in 
bands to fight as best they 
could. 

Among the leaders in this 
“ partisan warfare,” as it was 
called, were Francis Marion, 

Thomas Sumter, and Andrew 
Pickens from South Carolina; 

William R. Pa vie from North 
Carolina; and Elijah Clark 
from Georgia. Without pay and 
almost without food men from 
the Carolinas and Georgia would gather under one of the 
leaders and strike the enemy a sudden blow. 

Rushing out from wood or swamp, they would capture 
some detachment, seize wagons of provisions intended for 
the enemy, or rescue Americans whom the British had 
taken prisoners, and then as suddenly disappear. The 
next day they would be at home quietly attending to their 
own affairs, but ready to assemble again at the call of 
their leader. 

The “ Swamp Fox ” and the “ Game Cock.” — Marion 
usually made his camp in a swamp. Because he could 



Thomas Sumter 


224 A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 

slip into and slip out of a swamp too quickly for the 
British to catch him, they called him the “ Swamp Fox.” 
On account of Sumter’s impetuous and hard fighting, the 
British called this leader the “ Game Cock.” Cornwallis 
said that Sumter was the “ greatest plague” with which 
his army had to contend. 



Marion Inviting the British Officer to Dinner 


Marion Dining the British Officer. — A story is told of 
Marion that illustrates the desperate condition under 
which the partisan leaders and their bands often fought. 
A British officer, so the story goes, visited Marion’s camp, 
under a flag of truce, for the purpose of arranging an ex¬ 
change of prisoners. Marion invited the officer to dine. 
There was neither chair nor stool; so the host and his 
guest sat on the trunk of a fallen tree. When dinner was 
brought, it proved to be sweet potatoes served on pieces 
of pine bark. 



WESTERNERS WIN A SPLENDID VICTORY 225 

“ Surely/’ said the officer, “ this is not your usual 
fare?” 

Marion bowed and replied, “ Yes, and as we have 
company for dinner, we are lucky to have a larger supply 
than usual.” 

The officer was astonished. When he returned to the 
British camp, he told his comrades that it was useless 
to wage war against such determined men. Poorly clad 
and poorly fed, they would fight to the death for the sake 
of liberty. And he resigned from the army. 

The Partisan Fighters’ Place in History. — Too much 
praise cannot be given the partisan fighters of the South 
in the struggle for independence. When everywhere 
else fighting had ceased, and the cause seemed hopeless, 
these bold Southerners, without help from the rest of the 
country, kept up the contest. 

Westerners Win a Splendid Victory 

Defeat of Gates. — At last Congress tried to help the 
South by sending to South Carolina a few troops from 
Washington’s army. General Gates was placed in com¬ 
mand. Gates was the general in command of the 
Americans who captured Burgoyne’s army. Though 
this victory had been gained more by the leadership 
of his subordinate officers, Gates thought himself the best 
general in America, and he went South confident that he 
could crush Cornwallis. Marching on in his pride, Gates 
was ingloriously defeated by Cornwallis at Camden in 
the summer of 1780. The American soldiers fled from 
the field, and none faster than Gates himself. 


226 


A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 


Gloom in the South. — Encouraged by the defeat of 
Gates, British and Tories pillaged and burned more than 
ever. Most of the partisan bands had joined the army 
of Gates and were scattered by the defeat, hence little 
resistance could be made. Gloom again settled over 
the South; but the gloom did not last long, for from 
beyond the mountains came rays of hope. 

The Western Patriots. — The inhabitants of the coun¬ 
try west of the mountains were loyal to the American 
cause almost to a man. They had given the British 
much trouble by assisting the partisan bands east of the 
mountains. 

A British officer, Colonel Ferguson, who was in the 
upper part of South Carolina with a force, mostly Tories, 
sent word to the Westerners that, if they did not stop 
their opposition to the British government, he would 
go over the mountains, hang their leaders, and destroy 
their crops. 

When the message reached the western country, the 
leaders consulted together, and it was decided that the 
mountaineers should go forward to attack Ferguson 
instead of waiting for his coming. A call was sent up 
the mountainsides and through the valleys for volunteers. 
The response was so enthusiastic that all the fighting 
men of the region gathered at the meeting place. Old 
men, women, and children accompanied them there to 
bid them Godspeed. 

King’s Mountain. — All the fighting men could not 
be taken, for some had to guard the settlements against 
the Indians. Colonel William Campbell commanded the 


WESTERNERS WIN A SPLENDID VICTORY 227 


men selected from western Virginia, and Colonels John 
Sevier and Isaac Shelby those from Tennessee. 

After a toilsome march across the mountains, the party 
was joined by small partisan bands from the Carolinas. 
Ferguson heard of the coming of the frontiersmen, and 



he beat a hasty retreat in hopes of reaching Cornwallis’ 
army which was stationed at Charlotte. The best 
armed and the best mounted of the mountaineers, about 
nine hundred in all, pushed forward in hot pursuit. They 
overtook Ferguson at King’s Mountain, in South Carolina, 
in October, 1780. Ferguson had placed his force in a 
very strong position on the top of the mountain; the 


















228 


A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 


dauntless Westerners climbed the sides of the moun¬ 
tain, shouting and firing as they went. Of Ferguson’s 
force of about eleven hundred men, nearly half were 
killed or wounded. Every man who was not killed was 
captured. Ferguson himself was slain. 

Effect of King’s Mountain. — When it is remembered 
that Washington’s army in the North was at this time 
too weak to fight, and that the American army in the 
South had just been dispersed, it is not too much to say 
that the battle of King’s Mountain turned the scales of 
the war. Jefferson called it the “ joyful turn of the tide.” 

The patriots of the South were so encouraged by this 
victory that partisan bands again took the field. By 
annoying and harassing the enemy with their sudden 
and unexpected attacks, they kept them from gaining 
complete control of the South. 

Surrender oe Cornwallis 

Cowpens. — Congress sent another general, Nathanael 
Greene, to take command in the South. Greene ordered 
General Daniel Morgan to protect the western part of 
South Carolina. A British officer, named Tarleton, 
attacked Morgan’s force at Cowpens in January, 1781. 
Morgan won a complete victory, but his position was 
critical. His force was small, and Cornwallis was march¬ 
ing against him with a large army. 

Guilford Courthouse. — Morgan retreated into North 
Carolina, Cornwallis following him closely. Greene joined 
Morgan and took charge of the retreat. Though the 
pursuit was close, Cornwallis could not overtake Greene, 


SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS 


229 


Finally, Greene, having been reinforced, met Cornwallis 
in battle at Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. Be¬ 
cause his militia gave way, Greene had to retire from 
the field, and Cornwallis claimed the victory; yet the 
army of Cornwallis was so badly shattered that he 
retreated to Wilmington, leaving the rest of North 
Carolina in the hands of the patriots. 



The Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781 
From the painting by Trumbull, in the Capitol at Washington 


Effect of Guilford Courthouse. — A prominent English 
statesman said of the battle of Guilford Courthouse* 
“ another such victory would ruin the British army.” 
This victory itself ruined the British army. Cornwallis 
retired with his weakened force into Virginia; and, when 
he took up a position at Yorktown, Washington, who for 
three years had been watching the British in New York* 
immediately decided to attack him. . 





230 A SUCCESSFUL END TO THE CONTEST 

The Surrender at Yorktown. — Joined by an army 

that had been sent over from France, Washington left 
Clinton in New York in doubt as to where he was going, 
and marched his forces southward. The combined 
American and French armies surrounded the troops of 
Cornwallis on the land side of Yorktown, while a French 

fleet prevented their 
escape by sea. 

Though Cornwal¬ 
lis resisted, he was 
forced to surrender. 
His veteran redcoats 
filed between the 
lines of the ragged 
patriots on the one 
side, and the bril¬ 
liantly uniformed 
French on the other, 
and stacked their shining guns on the nineteenth day of 
October, 1781. 

End of the War. — The surrender of Cornwallis was 
hailed with joy everywhere in America, for it was felt 
that so great a success would bring an end to the 
war. In this belief the Americans were not mistaken. 
The British government, weary of the war, was at 
last willing to make peace. A treaty of peace between 
Great Britain and America was signed in 1783. In 
this treaty every one of the thirteen English colonies in 
America was declared to be a “ free and independent 
state.” 



Cornwallis’ Wandering Campaign 
at the South 








QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


231 


Washington, the Patriot. — Washington was looked 
upon as the savior of his country. Some people thought 
he ought to be made king, but he who had fought to make 
his people free loved them too well to take advantage of 
their gratitude. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Why did the Indians of the Northwest give trouble? 2. Tell 
about George Rogers Clark in the Northwest. 3. What important 
result did Clark’s remarkable achievement have? 

4. Tell of John Paul Jones’ younger days. 5. When was he ap¬ 
pointed an officer in the American navy? 6. Describe the battle 
between the Bon Homme Richard and the Serapis. 

7. Give the story of the attack on Fort Moultrie. 8. Describe the 
taking of Savannah and Charleston. 9. Tell how the people of the 
South were treated by the British and by the Tories. 10. Describe 
“partisan warfare.” ; n. What did the British call Marion? Sumter? 

12. Relate the story of Marion’s entertainment of the British officer. 

13. Why do the partisan bands deserve a high place in history? 

14. What can be said of General Gates? 15. What did the British 
do following the defeat of Gates at Camden? 16. What message was 
sent to the men west of the mountains, and what did they do about it ? 

17. Give the facts of the battle of King’s Mountain, and explain its 
effects. 

18. Tell of the battle of Cowpens; of Guilford Courthouse. 

19. What did Cornwallis do after the battle of Guilford Courthouse? 

20. Describe the surrender of Cornwallis. 21. What important change 

was made by the treaty of 1783? 22. How did the people regard 

Washington? What proposal did they make? 23. What response 
did Washington make to this proposal ? 


CHAPTER XVIII 


EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 

The Constitution of the United States 

The Confederation. — While the Revolutionary War 
was in progress, the States, having decided that they 
should form a union, established a government for the 
United States of America. This first government is 
known as the Confederation because the rules under 
which it was conducted are called the Articles of Con¬ 
federation. 

The government of the Confederation consisted of a 
Congress in which each state had only one vote. From 
the very beginning it did not work well for the reason 
that it was not a strong government. Each state, 
jealous of its own rights and wishing to retain control 
of its own affairs, had been unwilling to give Congress 
much power. If Congress wanted an army, it had to 
ask each state to furnish a certain number of men; and 
if it wished to raise money, it could only ask each state 
to furnish a certain amount. If the state refused, that 
was the end of the matter. 

The Country Drifting toward Ruin. — When peace 
was declared it was thought that times would immediately 
become prosperous, and, as a consequence, most persons 
232 


THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 233 

began to live extravagantly. Soon the American people 
as a whole were heavily in debt. They had no money 
which would be accepted in payment of what they had 
bought. All the states had issued a great deal of paper 
money during the war, and most of them were continuing 
to do so. The paper money was valueless because nobody 
believed that the States could make it good in gold or 
silver. To make matters worse, many states placed taxes 
on goods brought 
into their terri¬ 
tory for sale from 
other states. 

Business came al¬ 
most to a stand¬ 
still. 

Conditions grew 
so bad that per- 
sons who were o™ Country in i 7 8 9 . 

1 r Black dots show the settled regions in the United 

pressed. lor pay- states; circles show the regions of Canada in settle¬ 
ment of their ment; crosses show the Spanish settlements; the 
. . 1 t 1 white shows the unoccupied territory. 

debts and did not 

have the money to pay them, became desperate, and 
in many places riots broke out. 

The Government Helpless. — The general govern¬ 
ment, or Confederation, was nearly bankrupt. Congress 
asked the States to allow it to regulate trade and raise 
a revenue by taxation, but the consent of all the states 
was necessary and some refused. 

A Constitutional Convention Is Held. — Leading men 
were alarmed, for, if this condition of affairs continued, 















234 


EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 


the country would go to ruin. They urged the States 
to strengthen the Confederation by giving it more power. 
A convention called for this purpose met in Philadelphia 
in 1787. All the thirteen states, except Rhode Island, 
sent delegates. The convention decided that, rather than 
make the Confederation stronger, it would be better to 
form a new government by framing a constitution. 

The work was too important to be done hurriedly, and 
it was four months before the convention presented to the 
country the “ Constitution of the United States.” 

The Constitution Adopted. — Since the States could not 
be compelled to accept the Constitution, it had to be 
submitted to them to accept or reject, as each thought 
best. Despite the trouble growing out of the Con¬ 
federation, many persons did not favor the Constitution 
because it provided for a strong central government. 
They said that as the state government was the home 
government and nearer to the people, it was better able 
to protect their interests; therefore a state should not 
surrender to the United States as much power as the 
Constitution demanded. The advocates of the Con¬ 
stitution succeeded, however, in convincing a great 
majority of the people that the Constitution gave to 
the United States only as much power as was needed to 
make the government strong enough to be of use. By 
1788, a sufficient number of states had ratified the Con¬ 
stitution to put it into effect. 

The Constitution furnishes the government under 
which we are living to-day — the government which all 
true Americans believe now to be the best on earth. 


WASHINGTON, THE FIRST PRESIDENT 


235 


Our Government. — Congress is divided into two 
houses — the Senate, in which each state has two 
members, and the House of Representatives, in which 
a state has membership in proportion to its population. 
Among other things that it may do, Congress may levy 
taxes, coin money, declare war, raise armies maintain 
a navy, and regulate commerce with 
foreign countries and between the 
states. 

A President, whose duty it is to see 
that the laws of Congress are executed, 
is elected every four years. 

There are also courts that have 
charge of legal matters concerning the 
United States and such matters as the 
state courts cannot properly settle. 

George Washington, the First President 

Starting the Government. — When the election for 
President took place, it was found that everybody in 
America had the same choice — George Washington, 
the man who, through the bitterest hardships, never 
wavered in his leadership in the struggle for independence. 
Washington was inaugurated in 1789. 

Difficulties of Washington’s Position. — Washington 
had a difficult task as President. He had to set all the 
machinery of the new government in motion and to 
accustom the people to its laws. Many in America did 
not believe that the young republic would be popular 
enough with its own people to last, and already foreign 



First Flag of the 
United States 




236 EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 

nations were interfering with it. But Washington, with 
the same wisdom that he had displayed in war, guided 
the new government safely through its first years. 

Alexander Hamilton Helps Washington. — One of the 
first of the many important matters that Washington 
had to attend to was to put the government on a sound 
financial basis, for the United States was deeply in debt. 



Washington Taking the Oath as President, April 30, 1789 

and had no credit. Washington appointed as Secretary 
of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, of New York, who 
had been well trained in the banking business and who 
had a genius for financial matters. Hamilton soon 
arranged a plan for paying the debt. This gave people 
here and abroad confidence in the new government. 
To-day, no country in the world has a higher credit than 
the United States, and to no one is this standing due more 
than Alexander Hamilton. 























WASHINGTON, THE FIRST PRESIDENT 


237 


The Wish to Aid France. — The French people, unable 
longer to stand their oppressive government, had risen in 
revolution, put their king to death, and established a 
republic. The other kings of Europe feared that if the 
French republic proved successful the revolutionary 
spirit might spread to their countries. Therefore they 
made war upon France. France had helped the United 
States in the Revolutionary War. For this reason, 
a great clamor arose in America that we should now help 
that country in its fight for democracy. Washington, 
however, did not think that we were under obligation 
to aid France, and he issued a proclamation declaring 
the United States would remain neutral — that is, would 
take neither side in the war. 

Some of the friends of France in America, forgetting 
for the time what Washington had done for our country, 
said many abusive things about him. But Washington 
would not alter his decision that the United States must 
remain neutral. Finally, the people who had disapproved 
of his course came to realize that he was right, and 
those who had abused him were sorry that they had 
done so. 

Great Britain and France Attack Our Commerce. — 

Meanwhile, Great Britain had begun capturing American 
vessels bound for France and seizing the cargoes. What 
was even worse, she seized our sailors and made them 
serve in the British navy. Great Britain claimed the 
right to the services of every man who was a Briton by 
birth, even though he had become a citizen of another 
country. Consequently, American ships were boarded 


23 8 


EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 


and seamen who had been born in Great Britain were 
forcibly carried off. Sometimes native Americans were 
seized under the pretense that they were Englishmen. 

On the other hand, France became angry with us for 
not siding with her and, seeing how Great Britain treated 
us, began attacking our ships. As her navy was smaller, 
she could not do as much damage as Great Britain. 

Washington knew that our country was not strong 
enough to go to war again so soon. All the time that he 
was President he tried in a peaceable way to stop the 
assaults upon our commerce. 

Washington Retires to Private Life. — Washington 
served two terms as President. Although the people 
wished him to serve, he declined a third term, because 
he felt that for one person to remain long at the head of 
the government would make our republic too much like 
a monarchy. Since Washington established this prin¬ 
ciple, no President has served more than two terms. 

After his services as President were over, Washington 
retired to his beautiful home, Mount Vernon, in Virginia. 
There he passed the remainder of his days in quiet, loved 
and revered by a grateful people. He was beloved 
because the people knew that through him they had 
gained their liberty; he was revered because they knew 
that he was a man who had no ambition but to serve his 
country faithfully. 

On December 14, 1799, Washington died. All Ameri¬ 
cans mourned the loss of their great leader, for he was to 
them, as he is to us to-day, “ first in war, first in peace, and 
first in the hearts of his countrymen.” 


JEFFERSON AND THE PURCHASE OF LOUISIANA 239 


Thomas Jefferson and the Purchase of 
Louisiana 

Jefferson’s Idea of Government. — Thomas Jefferson, 
the author of the Declaration of Independence, became 
President in 1801. Jefferson had much faith in the 
ability of the people to manage their own affairs, and 
he thought that the best government is the one that 



The White House, Washington, in 1800 


governs them the least. He held that all power, not 
expressly granted to the national government by the 
Constitution, should be left to the people of the states. 
Upon this doctrine he had founded, before he became 
President, the great Democratic party of to-day. 

Attacks upon Our Commerce Continue. — With short 
intervals of peace, the war between France and other 
countries of Europe had continued, and Great Britain 
and France had kept up their assaults upon American 
ships. 


240 EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 

Importance of the Mississippi River. — The chief 

event of Jefferson’s administration — the purchase of 
the Louisiana Territory — came about by reason of the 
wars in Europe. It will be remembered that, at the close 
of the French and Indian War, France had ceded to Spain 
the Territory of Louisiana. This territory extended 
westward a great distance from the Mississippi River 
and included the mouth of the river and the important 
city of New Orleans. Thus Spain had control of the 
navigation of the great river. 

On account of miserable roads it was very difficult for 
Americans living in the West to carry their products 
across the Alleghany Mountains to the states on the 
Atlantic Ocean. A much easier way was to float them 
down the Mississippi to New Orleans, whence seagoing 
vessels would take them to ports of the Atlantic states 
or to foreign countries. A treaty had been made with 
Spain whereby Americans were allowed to use the Mis¬ 
sissippi free of charge and to keep their products in ware¬ 
houses in New Orleans until ocean vessels should come 
for them. 

Louisiana Ceded Back to France. — Napoleon Bona¬ 
parte, a very great general, had come to the head of the 
French government. Hoping to build up a colonial 
system as strong as that of Great Britain, he induced Spain 
to cede Louisiana back to France. The cession was made 
just at the time the commander at New Orleans refused 
longer to let Americans use that city as a shipping point. 

Jefferson Offers to Buy aPart of Louisiana. — Jefferson 
saw the trouble that this turn of affairs would bring. 


JEFFERSON AND THE PURCHASE OF LOUISIANA 241 


He knew that the Westerners would go to war before they 
would give up the use of the Mississippi. He realized also 
that it would be dangerous to the interests of the whole 
country for so powerful a nation as France to control the 
river. He sought to buy from Napoleon the city of New 
Orleans and the land on both sides of the mouth of the 



Mississippi in order that the United States might control 
the river. 

Napoleon Sells All Louisiana. — For months the 
American minister in France tried in vain to persuade 
Napoleon that the land at the mouth of the Mississippi, 
while of value to the United States, was of no use to 
France. He was astonished one day to have Napoleon’s 
agent ask him, “ What will you give for the whole of 
Louisiana?” 











242 


EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 


Napoleon needed money, for he was about to engage 
in another war with Great Britain; and he feared that if 
he should retain Louisiana, the British would take it 
from him. Besides he thought that the United States, 
by holding Louisiana, would develop into a great power 
that would rival England. For these reasons Napoleon 
came to the conclusion that he had better sell the whole 
of Louisiana Territory to the United States. It is need¬ 
less to say that the American minister was delighted to 
buy it. The purchase was made in 1803, and the price 
paid was fifteen million dollars. 

In those times this seemed an enormous sum for a 
government, especially one so young as the United States, 
to pay. Many persons in America thought the territory 
not worth the money. Some in the eastern part of the 
country objected to the purchase because they thought 
the additional territory would make the West so strong 
that the East would lose its influence in the government. 
The vast majority, however, approved of the purchase, 
and time has shown that it is one of the best bargains 
the United States has ever made. 

Immense Size of Louisiana. — The Louisiana Territory 
was so immense that, when added to our country, it made 
the United States more than twice the original size. From 
the territory have since been formed the states of Louisi¬ 
ana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, North 
Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, and Montana, and parts of the 
states of Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, and Minnesota. 

Expedition of Lewis and Clark. — So little was known 
of the Louisiana Territory at the time of its purchase that 


JEFFERSON AND THE PURCHASE OF LOUISIANA 243 

wonderful stories told about it were readily believed. 
One of the stories was that somewhere in the territory 
there was an immense mountain of salt. 

President Jefferson sent two young men, Meriwether 
Lewis and William Clark, to explore Louisiana. Clark 
was a brother of George Rogers Clark, who, during the 
Revolutionary War, saved for us the Illinois country. 
With a few companions, Lewis and Clark set out from 



St. Louis in 1804. They went up the Missouri River 
for its entire course, crossed the Rocky Mountains 
beyond the limits of Louisiana Territory, descended 
the Columbia River, and looked out upon the Pacific 
Ocean. 

These explorers were the first white men to cross the 
North American continent within the bounds of what is 
now the United States. When they returned to St. 
Louis they had been absent on their journey more than 
two years and had traveled in all more than eight thou- 







244 


EARLY DAYS OF THE REPUBLIC 


sand miles. Sometimes they had made their way in 
canoes and sometimes on horseback, and among the 
Indians they met were some who had never before seen 
white men. Lewis and Clark brought back a great deal 
of information about the regions they had visited. 

Jefferson in His Old Age. — When his term of office 
ended, Jefferson retired to his home, Monticello, in 
Virginia, where he lived to a ripe old age. To the very 
last he took an active part in public affairs. 

As a defender of the rights of the people, Jefferson 
stands illustrious among statesmen. As the author of 
the Declaration of Independence, he lives immortal in 
the memory of Americans. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. What government for the United States was organized during the 
Revolution, and why did it not succeed? 2. Describe the condition of 
the country immediately following the Revolutionary War; the condi¬ 
tion of the government. 3. For what purpose did a convention meet 
in Philadelphia in 1787? 4. What did the convention do? 5. Why 

did some persons object to the Constitution? When was it adopted? 

6. What do all good Americans now think of the Constitution? 

7. Give the chief provisions of the Constitution. 

8. Who was elected our first President ? 9. Why was Washington’s 
task difficult? 10. What may be said of Alexander Hamilton? 
11. Tell of the French Revolution and the desire in America to help 
the French. 12. What course did Washington pursue ? 13. Describe 

the way Great Britain and France treated our commerce. 14. Tell of 
Washington’s last days. 

15. Give Jefferson’s idea of government. 16. Why was the use 
of the Mississippi of importance to Americans? 17. Relate the story 
of the purchase of Louisiana Territory. 18. Tell something about the 
size of the territory. 19. Describe the expedition of Lewis and Clark. 
20. Why will Jefferson always live in the memory of Americans ? 


CHAPTER XIX 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 

The Second Struggle with Great Britain 

“ Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights.” — The high-handed 
course of the British in seizing our cargoes and carrying 
off our seamen became so unbearable during the presi¬ 
dency of James Madison that indignant Americans de¬ 
manded that the United States again make war against 
Great Britain. “ Free trade and sailors’ rights ” became 
their cry. War was at last declared. It is usually called 
the “ War of 1812 ” because it began in that year. 

Unpreparedness Causes Defeat. — The Americans were 
unprepared for the struggle, as they had only a small army 
and very few battleships. In the first year of the war 
the American army invaded Canada by way of New York 
State for the purpose of conquering that country, but the 
attempt was a failure. On the other hand, a British army 
from Canada captured the town of Detroit and Michigan 
Territory in the extreme Northwest. The next year 
(1813) an American army again invaded Canada by way 
of New York State and was again driven back. 

Success on the Sea. — While the Americans had failed 
so far in their fighting on land, they had met with successes 
on the ocean. United States frigates scoured the seas 


245 


246 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 


and made many important captures from the British. 
The most famous of the American frigates was the Con¬ 
stitution. 

Harrison and Perry, Heroes of the Northwest 

William Henry Harrison. — An American army, under 
the command of General William Henry Harrison, had 
been sent into the Northwest. Harrison wished to invade 
Canada by way of Lake Erie in order to force the British 
to give up Michigan Territory, but he could not do so 

because a strong 
British fleet guarded 
the lake. 

Oliver Hazard 
Perry. — In order 
to clear the way for 
Harrison’s progress, 
Captain Oliver Haz¬ 
ard Perry of the 
American navy was 
ordered to proceed 
to Lake Erie, build a squadron, and destroy the British 
fleet. Although beset with many difficulties, Perry had 
his fleet built within three months after his arrival on 
Lake Erie. 

Battle of Lake Erie. — In September, 1813, Perry sailed 
out on the lake in search of the enemy. It was not long 
before the British fleet was sighted, for its commander 
was as eager to fight as Perry. The American fleet con¬ 
sisted of nine vessels, while the British fleet had six, but 



La»ke Erie and the Surrounding Country 






HARRISON AND PERRY 247 


the British vessels were larger than the American and 
carried more men and more cannon. 

Most of the cannon of the British fleet were directed 
against Perry’s flagship, which, under the terrific fire, 
soon became a wreck. Nearly every man on board was 
killed or wounded, but Perry was not dismayed. Seizing 
the flag, he jumped into a small boat, and amid a storm 
of shots was rowed to one of his other vessels. Assuming 


^ c i&o /dnyj *7**/ 

dc / 7unrruj(j 07t& 

Facsimile of Perry’s Report to General Harrison 


command of this vessel, he continued the fight and so 
raked the British fleet with his cannon that it surrendered. 

Perry announced his splendid victory to General Harri¬ 
son by writing modestly, “ We have met the enemy and 
they are ours.” 

Battle of the Thames. — The British at once gave up 
Michigan Territory and retreated into Canada. General 
Proctor commanded the retreating forces. Besides his 
regulars he had a large number of Indians led by a noted 
warrior named Tecumseh. 

Harrison at once started in pursuit. On the Thames 


248 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 


River in Ontario, Canada, Proctor’s forces were overtaken, 
and there a battle was fought. The Americans quickly 
drove the regulars from the field, but the Indians stoutly 
held their ground until Tecumseh was killed, when they 
fled. 

Capture of Washington. — Perry’s victory on Lake 
Erie and Harrison’s on the Thames made the Northwest 
safe from the British, but failure again followed a third 
attempt in 1814 to invade Canada from New York. The 
mortification of the Americans on account of their many 
defeats in the East was increased by the capture of Wash¬ 
ington, our capital city. The British burned the Capitol, 
the White House, and many other public buildings. 

Andrew Jackson, the Hero of the Southwest 

Early Life of Jackson. — We have just learned how 
notable victories were won in the Northwest by Harrison 
and Perry; and we shall now learn how the most brilliant 
victory of the war was won in the Southwest by Andrew 
Jackson. 

Jackson, the son of a poor Irish immigrant, was born 
in the Waxhaws, a small settlement on the line between 
North and South Carolina. His mother, left a widow 
without means, had a hard struggle to support her three 
boys, of whom Andrew was the youngest. 

Andrew was a tall, thin lad, with blue eyes and sandy 
hair, and a freckled face. He was as fond of fun as any 
boy, but he did not have much time for play, or even for 
going to school, for he had to help his mother. In speak¬ 
ing of his early life Jackson once said, “ At the age most 


ANDREW JACKSON, HERO OF THE SOUTHWEST 249 


people learn to spell, I was working for a living and helping 
the best of mothers.” He might have added, “ and fight¬ 
ing for my country,” for while a mere boy he fought in 
the Revolutionary War. 

A Boy Soldier of the Revolution. — When the Revolu¬ 
tionary War began, Andy, as everybody called him, was 
only eight years old. His family and friends were all 
good patriots. His 

r 


oldest brother en¬ 
listed in the Ameri¬ 
can army, served 
gallantly, and died 
of fever while in 
camp. Andy’s 
young heart natu¬ 
rally beat high at 
the stories of the 
war that he heard and at the thrilling sights that he saw. 

Andy was so high-spirited that he could not wait to 
be a man before becoming a soldier. When he was barely 
thirteen, he and his brother Robert, a few years older 
than he, joined the band of the famous General Sumter. 
Just think of a boy thirteen years old being in battle! 

Andy and the British Officer. — Robert and Andy were 
captured by the British and held as prisoners. Once 
during their imprisonment, a British officer ordered Andy 
to black his boots, but the boy indignantly refused, saying, 
“ I am a prisoner of war and demand to be treated as 
such.” To see the spirit of American independence in a 
mere child so angered the officer that he struck at the 



Birthplace of Andrew Jackson 


250 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 


boy with a saber. Andy threw up his hand to ward off 
the blow, but the saber came down with force and cut 
deep gashes in his head and arms. Andrew Jackson car¬ 
ried to his grave the scars of those wounds. 

A few days after the release of the boys from prison, 
Robert died; and soon afterward the good mother herself 
passed away. Poor little Andy would have been left 
alone in the world had not a kind-hearted relative taken 
him into his home. 

A Young Lawyer in Tennessee. — For a time Andy 
worked in a shop making saddles and bridles, and then 
he taught school. Before he was twenty-one, he studied 
law and was admitted to the bar of North Carolina. 

Jackson then removed to Tennessee, which was at that 
time still a border country. As is always the case in new 
settlements, there were, besides the sturdy pioneers and 
their families, many ruffians against whom it was a danger¬ 
ous matter to try to enforce the law. Having been made 
prosecuting attorney, it became Jackson’s duty to bring 
these outlaws to trial, and many stories are told of how 
fearlessly he did his duty. 

On one occasion a gang of bullies, who had committed 
all kinds of lawless deeds, defied the court, refusing to be 
tried for their offenses. Jackson seized the leader, and 
the two men engaged in a rough-and-tumble fight in the 
courtroom. Soon the fight became general, for the spec¬ 
tators, encouraged by Jackson’s course, attacked the rest 
of the rowdies and thrashed them soundly. Meanwhile, 
Jackson and the leader of the gang had, in the struggle, 
fallen out of the door, but Jackson, holding fast to his 


ANDREW JACKSON, HERO OF THE SOUTHWEST 251 


man, dragged him back into the courtroom and forced 
him to stand trial. The delighted judges, who had never 
been able to control the bullies, ordered the clerk to put 
in the records, “ The Court thanks Andrew Jackson for 
his brave conduct.” 

Horseshoe Bend. —After the War of 1812 broke out, 
the Creeks, a powerful and warlike tribe in Alabama, went 
on the warpath and mas¬ 
sacred so many people that 
Tennessee raised an army to 
march against them. An¬ 
drew Jackson, who had be¬ 
come a general, was placed 
in command. The Indians 
made a brave resistance, but 
Jackson surrounded their 
stronghold at Horseshoe 
Bend on the Tallapoosa 
River, in Alabama, and de¬ 
feated them with great 
slaughter. Most of them sued for peace, and the rest 
fled into Florida. 

“ Old Hickory. ”— Jackson was very strict with his 
soldiers, yet they loved him because he was a good fighter 
and because he shared all their hardships, even to the 
point of going hungry with them. His soldiers called him 
“ Old Hickory,” for, they said, he was tough as hickory. 

Battle of New Orleans. — When it became known that 
part of the British plan in the War of 1812 was to capture 
New Orleans and separate the Louisiana country from the 



Andrew Jackson 


252 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 


rest of the United States, General Jackson was ordered 
to defend New Orleans. For this purpose he collected 
a force of Kentucky and Tennessee volunteers — men 
who were noted for their skill with the rifle. When 
Jackson reached New Orleans he was joined by Louisiana 
militia. He also took into his army the men of the town 
who would consent to serve. Many foreigners who were 
in the city volunteered, so his army became a mixture of 



Gold Medal Presented by Congress to Andrew Jackson 


Americans, French, Spaniards, Irish, and Germans, with 
a few negroes and Indians. 

With this motley crowd Jackson undertook to defend 
New Orleans against an army of the best-trained regulars 
Great Britain could furnish. He took up a position be¬ 
low New Orleans between the Mississippi River on the 
one side and a swamp on the other. Here he built a for¬ 
tification of logs, filled in with earth. The British army 
marched against this fortification. Jackson’s men waited 
until the enemy got within easy range and then poured 
such a hot fire upon them that their ranks melted away. 
The British lost two thousand men, while the Americans 









HOW WE GAINED FLORIDA 


253 


lost less than a dozen. As the British were too disheart¬ 
ened to make another trial they boarded their vessels 
and sailed away. 

A Victory after Peace. — Brilliant as was the victory 
at New Orleans, it was won after peace had been made 
between the United States and Great Britain. Both 
sides having become tired of the war, a treaty of peace 
was signed in Belgium inDecember, 1814; while the battle 
of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815. Steam¬ 
boats did not then cross the ocean, and no electric cable 
connected America with Europe, so news of the treaty did 
not reach America until a month after the battle of New 
Orleans. 

While neither Great Britain nor America won the War 
of 1812, America gained what she had been fighting for. 
Great Britain has never since attempted to seize American 
seamen or to commit other high-handed acts against 
American commerce. 

How We Gained Florida 

Spaniards and Indians in Florida. — It will be recalled 
that in colonial times the Spaniards in Florida often in¬ 
cited the Indians to attack the English settlements. After 
the colonies had gained their independence, the Spaniards 
continued to make trouble by stirring up the Indians. 

The Creeks, who fled to Florida when defeated by An¬ 
drew Jackson at Horseshoe Bend in the War of 1812, 
joined the Seminoles, a Florida tribe. From that terri¬ 
tory which belonged to Spain the Creeks and Seminoles 
made raids upon Georgia and Alabama. 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 


254 

Purchase of Florida. — Soon after the close of the War 
of 1812, the United States government sent a force under 
Andrew Jackson to put a stop to these raids. It was 
expected, of course, that Jackson would do his fighting 
only on United States soil, but that impetuous warrior 
followed the retreating redskins into Florida and cap¬ 
tured St. Marks and Pensacola. At St. Marks he court- 
martialed and executed two British subjects for having 
given aid to the Indians. 

To invade the territory of a nation with which we were 
at peace and put to death subjects of another nation with 
which we were also at peace were two very serious acts, 
and it was feared that Jackson’s course would involve our 
country in war with both Great Britain and Spain. Jack- 
son insisted that it was necessary in order to protect our 
Southern border from further Indian raids and the 
American people approved of what he had done. 

War did not follow because Great Britain and Spain 
were very desirous of avoiding it. On the contrary, the 
affair ended most satisfactorily to the United States. 
A treaty was made with Spain, in 1819, whereby the 
United States purchased Florida for five million dollars. 

The Monroe Doctrine 

The Spanish American Republics. — Spain had treated 
her colonies so cruelly that by 1822 Mexico and the South 
American colonies had revolted and thrown off the Span¬ 
ish yoke. They had set up republican forms of govern¬ 
ment. The stronger monarchies of continental Europe 
had formed an alliance to put down republics wherever 


THE MONROE DOCTRINE 


255 

they arose. As Spain was a weak nation, she asked 
these monarchies to help her regain control of her lost 
colonies in America. 

The people of the United States sympathized with the 
Spanish Americans in their struggle for democracy. 
They realized that, if the autocratic monarchies of Europe 
should succeed in suppressing these newly made republics 
and should gain a strong foot¬ 
hold in America, they might 
next try to overthrow our own 
republic. 

The United States Takes a 
Stand. — James Monroe, who 
was then President of the United 
States, announced, in 1823, that 
the United States would not 
allow any more European colo¬ 
nies planted in America. He 
declared that the United States 
would go to the aid of the Spanish American republics 
should other nations of Europe help Spain in an effort 
to reconquer them. He further declared that, as an offset 
to Europe’s letting America alone, the United States 
would not interfere with the internal affairs of European 
countries. This policy came to be known as the Monroe 
Doctrine. 

The nations of Europe gave heed to President Monroe’s 
warning and refused to give aid to Spain, with the result 
that Spain never regained the lost provinces. 

On a number of occasions since, European countries 



James Monroe 


256 


PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS 


have shown they did not like the Monroe Doctrine, but 
the United States has always compelled them to ob¬ 
serve it. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Why did America engage in a second war with Great Britain? 
2. When was this war declared ? 3. What happened in the first year 

of the war? 4. What happened on the eastern front in the next year? 

5. What did William Henry Harrison wish to do? 6. Describe 
the battle of Lake Erie. How did Perry announce his victory? 
7. What land battle was fought by General Harrison in October, 1813, 
and what was the result? 8. What defeats did the Americans now 
suffer ? 

9. Tell of Andrew Jackson’s boyhood. 10. Relate his experience 
with the Tennessee outlaws. 11. Tell how he defended the people of 
Alabama from the Indians. 12. Why was he called “Old Hickory”? 
13. What city was Jackson sent to defend in the War of 1812 ? 14. De¬ 

scribe the troops that he got together and the troops that opposed him. 
15. Tell the story of the battle of New Orleans. 16. How long after 
the signing of the treaty of peace did the battle occur? 17. What was 
the result of the War of 1812? 

18. Show how the Spaniards in Florida gave the United States 
trouble. 19. What did Jackson do in Florida, and why were his acts 
serious? 20. Tell the result of our troubles with the Spaniards in 
Florida. 

21. Why did the Spanish colonies in America rebel, and in what 
way did Spain try to get help in her efforts to reconquer them? 
22. Explain the Monroe Doctrine. 


CHAPTER XX 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 

The Use oe Machinery 

Manufacturing by Hand. — For several hundred years 
England had been the leading manufacturing country, 
but there, as elsewhere in the world, all manufacturing 
had been done by hand. The word “ manufacture ” 
is formed from two Latin words and means “ to make by 
hand.” 

There were some factories in England where a few men 
and women were employed to make articles by hand, 
but most of the manufacturing was done in the homes of 
persons of small means. In a humble cottage in the 
countryside one might find all the family engaged in mak¬ 
ing cloth — the mother and daughters spinning thread 
on the spinning wheel, and the father and sons weaving 
it on a small hand loom. In an adjoining cottage might 
be seen a family making shoes or hats, nails or candles, 
Manufacturing by hand was slow and the articles made 
were often coarse or clumsy. Think of how much work 
there was to be done in the household, since all the world 
was supplied in this way! 

The “ Industrial Revolution.” — About the time of the 
Revolutionary War machines were invented in England 
which brought about a change in the industrial life of thc4 


257 


258 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


country. This change was so great that it is commonly 
spoken of as the “ Industrial Revolution.” 

The first machines invented were for the making of 
cloth. They were run by water power until James Watt, 
a Scotchman, invented an engine that would run them by 
steam. 

Since articles can be made by machinery in much larger 
quantities and of much better quality than by hand, rich 

men saw the wealth that 
would come from manufac¬ 
turing with machinery on a 
large scale, and they put 
their money into factories. 
Immense buildings, capable 
of holding many machines, 
were erected. The small 
manufacturers, who had 
been doing their work by 
hand at home, could not 
compete against machinery. With their business thus 
taken from them, they were obliged to seek employ¬ 
ment in the factories. No longer could they enjoy the 
independence of work in the healthful surroundings of 
their village or country homes. They must now laboi 
for long hours in factories and live in crowded tenements 
in cities. 

Yet, manufacturing by machinery is of the greatest 
benefit to mankind, for it would be impossible to supply 
the needs of the great world of to-day by the old method. 
The factory system gives employment to many millions 



Watt’s Steam-Engine 













WHITNEY AND THE COTTON GIN 


259 


of persons, and the conditions surrounding the life of 
these workers is constantly improving. 1 

The Factory System in America. — Before the inven¬ 
tion of machinery, but little manufacturing was done in 
America and most of it was done in the home. By the 
close of the War of 1812 manufacturing with machinery 
had made a start in the United States. With each suc¬ 
ceeding year the number of factories has increased until 
to-day the United States is the greatest manufacturing 
country of the world. 

For very many years practically all the factories were 
in the North, because, as will now be explained, the in¬ 
vention of the cotton gin had already turned the people 
of the South to cotton planting. 

Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin 

Americans as Inventors. — No people have shown a 
more wonderful genius for invention than those of the 
United States, and to this genius we owe much of our 
national greatness. 

Our First Great Inventor. — The first great American 
inventor was Eli Whitney. He was born of poor parents 
on a farm in Massachusetts, in the year in which the 
Stamp Act was passed. From early childhood he showed 
a taste for mechanics, and it was by selling nails he made 
by hand that he earned enough money to pay his way 
through Yale College. 

Whitney and Mrs. Nathanael Greene. — Soon after 
graduating from Yale, Whitney removed to Georgia to 
teach school. Mrs. Greene, the widow of Nathanael 


26 o 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


Greene, the great Revolutionary general, befriended the 
poor young man by taking him into her home. To re¬ 
turn her kindness he made himself useful by repairing 
worn-out tools and making many articles needed on the 
plantation. 

One day, when guests were gathered at the home of 
Mrs. Greene, the conversation turned to the subject of 

cotton planting for which 
the land of the South was 
well suited. Cotton was 
then separated from the 
seed by hand and it took 
a whole day to separate one 
pound. For this reason 
not much money could be 
made by raising cotton. 

The guests had heard of 
the machinery that had re¬ 
cently been invented in 
England. One of them expressed regret that a machine 
for separating cotton from the seed had never been in¬ 
vented, when Mrs. Greene said, “ Gentlemen, apply to my 
young friend, Mr. Whitney — he can make anything.” 

Thereupon the company turned to Whitney, and urged 
him to try to make such a machine. The young man 
had to confess that he had never seen cotton growing and 
had never seen the seed, but at last he modestly agreed 
to try what he could do. 

The Cotton Gin. — Whitney first went into the field and 
closely examined the growing plant. Then he watched 



MCCORMICK AND THE REAPER 


261 


the negro slaves separate the cotton by hand. He studied 
over the problem until in 1793 he hit upon a scheme. 

As he- had no money, Whitney had to make his own 
tools and prepare the material for the machine; but this 
did not discourage him and before long success crowned 
his efforts. He arranged a set of saws to tear the cotton 
from the seed and draw it through a network of fine wires 
through which the seed could not pass. This machine is 



Improved model Whitney’s model 

Cotton Gins 

the celebrated cotton gin. Whitney gave it the name 
“ gin ” — a contraction of the word “ engine.” 

Before the invention of the cotton gin very little cotton 
was grown in the United States, but now we produce 
more than any other country in the world. 

Cyrus Hall McCormick and the Reaper 

Cutting Grain. — As the cotton gin has developed the 
cotton crop, so the reaper has developed the grain crop. 
Before the reaper was invented, grain was cut with the 
scythe or sickle, implements that had come down from 














262 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


the ancient Egyptians. This way of cutting by hand was 
slow and tiresome. The reaper is a machine that cuts 
grain many times faster than it can be done by hand. 

McCormick’s Reaper. — The inventor of the reaper 
was Cyrus Hall McCormick, of Virginia. His father, 
who was a farmer, had tried for years to invent a reaper, 
but had failed. Then the son took up the problem where 
his father had left it, and he succeeded. 



In 1831 a reaper that McCormick had made was tested 
in an oat field, and it worked fairly well. But it was ten 
years (1841) before McCormick made a machine that he 
was willing to put on the market. 

What the Reaper Does. — The reaper has since been 
so much improved that it not only cuts the grain, but 
gathers and binds it into sheaves. We can realize, there¬ 
fore, what a wonderful machine it is, and how much labor 
and expense it saves the farmer. The reaper has been 
of the greatest benefit to the North and the Northwest 



ROBERT FULTON AND THE STEAMBOAT 263 


where the grain crops are extensively grown. So re¬ 
markable has been the development of our grain crops 
that the United States now grows more wheat, oats, and 
<c,orn than:, any other nation. 

Robert Fulton and the Steamboat 

Fulton’s Young Days. — In the same year in which 
Eli Whitney was born, Robert Fulton, another great in¬ 
ventor, was born in Pennsylvania. Fulton began life 
as a portrait painter. He had a mechanical turn and 
found time from his painting to learn the uses of tools and 
machinery. 

Invention of the Steamboat. — In 1793, the year in 
which Whitney invented the cotton gin, Fulton began to 
study how to make a vessel that would run by steam. 
At that time only sailing vessels were used. Two or three 
men had already tried to make steamboats, but no one 
had been successful. Few persons believed it possible 
that a steamboat that would go faster than a sailing vessel 
would be invented. 

After thirteen years of unsuccessful effort, Fulton be¬ 
gan to work on a boat in New York City. People made 
all manner of fun of him. They called his boat “ Fulton’s 
Folly ”; but no amount of ridicule could turn him from 
his purpose. 

The steamboat, which Fulton named the Clermont , was 
ready for a trial trip in 1807. To those who gazed upon 
it as it lay at the wharf it was a strange looking vessel. 
Indeed, it would appear strange to us, for it was not like 
the steamboats we see now. The tall smokestack and 


264 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


the large paddle wheels and all the machinery, which 
was uncovered and plainly visible, made the vessel look 
very dangerous to people who had seen only sailboats. 

The First Trip of the Clermont. — The newspapers 
of New York announced that at a certain hour the Cler¬ 
mont would start up the Hudson River for a trip to Albany, 
and would take passengers to that city. 

When the time arrived for the steamboat to start, the 
wharves and the housetops in the neighborhood were 
crowded with people. Very 
few of them had the slightest 
idea that the voyage would 
prove a success, and most of 
them made fun of Fulton and 
his vessel. 

As the boat pulled away 
from its mooring, turned and 
started upstream — the en- 

Watching the “ Clermont ” gine puffing, and the smoke 

stack throwing out clouds of 
smoke — the crowd watched for a moment in mute as¬ 
tonishment ; then their jeers turned into loud huzzas. 

All along the route people who had heard that the steam¬ 
boat was coming lined the banks of the river or filled row¬ 
boats and sailboats to cheer her as she passed. There 
were some, however, who had not heard of the invention, 
and they fled in terror when they saw the steamboat 
belching fire and smoke like some horrible monster. 

The Clermont reached Albany and returned to New 
York without further mishap than a slight accident to 



ROBERT FULTON AND THE STEAMBOAT 265 

the machinery, which was quickly remedied. The trip 
was made at a speed of about five miles an hour, which 
was thought to be very fast time. Yet, even then, there 
were those who doubted whether the steamboat would 
be a lasting success, and said that the Clermont could not 
make the trip again. But the Clermont did make the trip 
several times. 

A Steamboat Crosses the Ocean. — Soon after Fulton 
had proved that his invention was a success, other steam- 



The “Savannah 


boats were built for the inland waters of the United States. 
Fulton never seemed to think that steamboats could be 
made that would cross the ocean. The most that he 
hoped was that they would be able to go up and down 
the great Mississippi. He lived to see the day when 
a steamboat first plied that river. Could he have lived 
until 1819, only four years longer than he did, he would 
have heard the wonderful news that the steamboat 
Savannah had made a voyage across the ocean from 
Savannah, Georgia, to Liverpool, England. This voyage, 
which was considered a great event, took twenty-six 





266 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


days. To-day steam vessels often cross the Atlantic in 
six days. 

The Coming or the Railroad 

Horse Railways and Canals. — For many years rail¬ 
roads had been used in Europe and America. The cars 
were generally drawn by horses, though sometimes they 
were propelled by sails. None of these roads were more 
than a few miles long. They were used only for hauling 



A Canal Passenger Boat 


heavy freight, such as coal or granite, from a mine or quarry 
to the nearest navigable body of water. 

Almost everybody at that time thought no better 
method of transportation than by water could be found. 
Consequently, a number of canals had been dug in the 
United States to connect the interior country with cities 
on the seacoast. Boats on the canals carried both pas¬ 
sengers and freight. 

An Englishman Invents the Locomotive. — George 
Stephenson was an engineer in a coal mine in England. 
Watching every day the working of Watt’s stationary 




THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD 267 

engine, it occurred to him that steam might be used to 
make an engine move on wheels and thus draw heavy 
loads. In 1814, Stephenson invented the locomotive, or 
“ traveling engine/’ as it was then called. Eleven years 
passed (1825) before he had so perfected his locomotive 
as to make it of value. 

The Locomotive in America. — Locomotives were 
quickly brought to America and tried on one or two of 
our few short rail¬ 
roads. They did not 
work satisfactorily, 
and most persons 
laughed at them, 
saying that they did 
not believe the loco¬ 
motive would ever 
prove a success. 

A Horse Wins over 
a Locomotive. — In spite of the failure of their first 
efforts, the few who believed that the locomotive would 
prove successful kept on experimenting. Peter Cooper, 
of New York, built the first locomotive made in America. 
Because it was so small it was called the “ Tom Thumb.” 
In 1830, the “ Tom Thumb ” was placed on the Balti¬ 
more and Ohio Railroad which then extended only a few 
miles out of Baltimore. To test the usefulness of the 
locomotive a race of thirteen miles was run, on parallel 
tracks, between the “ Tom Thumb ” and a horse-drawn 
car. A belt slipped from a wheel of the engine, and the 
horse car won the race. 






268 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


Soon afterwards the “ Tom Thumb ” was taken off 
the road because it was too small to be of much use. 

First Successful Locomotive in America. — In the 
same year, another locomotive built in America, the 
“ Best Friend,” was run with most gratifying results on 
the South Carolina Railroad. This road, when completed 
in 1833, extended 136 miles from Charleston to Hamburg, 
South Carolina. It was then the longest railroad in the 
world and was the first railroad in the United States to 
carry the mails. 



The First Locomotive Built in the United States 
Drawn on the same scale as the modern locomotive shown behind it 


The Early Trains. — Still, most people clung to the 
idea that the canal furnished the best method of trans- 
portation, slow as it was. For this reason, very few rail¬ 
roads were built for some years after the first locomotive 
was brought to America. 

It is not surprising that the locomotive-drawn train of 
those days was not popular, for in it the passenger found 
no comfort and little pleasure. The coach was shaped 
like the old stagecoach with seats for passengers both in¬ 
side and on top. Passengers riding on top frequently 
carried umbrellas to protect them from the sparks, cinders, 
and steam that escaped from the locomotive. If the 









THE COMING OF THE RAILROAD 269 

train made fifteen miles an hour it was considered re¬ 
markable speed. 

The locomotive did not draw the train up a steep hill. 
At the foot of the hill the train was detached from the 
locomotive, and was pulled up by means of a stationary 
engine and a cable. At the top of the hill another loco¬ 
motive took the train and 
carried it further on its 
way. 

Large rivers were not 
spanned by bridges or 
trestles, and the traveler 
had to leave one train, 
cross the river by ferry, 
and board another train 
on the other side. With 
railroads so few a traveler, 

in making a long journey, A rai LRO ad Train in 1831 
frequently had to take 
advantage of the other means of travel and change from 
railroad to steamboat, canal boat, or stagecoach. 

Locomotives were frail and roadbeds were poorly con¬ 
structed. Consequently, accidents were very common. 

Benefits of the Railroad. — These drawbacks did not 
prevent the railroad from finally proving superior to the 
canal as a means of transportation. By 1850, the building 
of railroads was going on rapidly. Improvements in 
locomotives, coaches, and roadbeds were constantly made. 
To-day, the United States is covered with a network of 
railroads — about 2 50,000 miles of track. One may 







270 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


travel with comfort, in palatial trains, across the continent 
in five days. Great locomotives with tremendous power 
draw long freight trains from one end of the land to the 
other. The railroad, more than any other one thing, has 
developed the central and western sections of our country. 

Samuel F. B. Morse and the Telegraph 

Experiments with the Electro-Magnet. — The honor of 
inventing the telegraph belongs to Samuel F. B. Morse, 
of Massachusetts, who was an artist by profession. Morse 
had heard of an experiment made in Paris with the electro¬ 
magnet, in which the magnet had sent an electric current 
almost instantly along a hundred feet of wire. Thinking 
over this fact, he reasoned that the current might be 
carried almost as quickly to any distance and, by using 
a system of signals, it might be made to give messages. 

The idea took strong hold of Morse. For months, 
then years, he labored to make the necessary apparatus. 
The artist became so wrapped up in his wish to invent 
the telegraph that he found very little time to give to his 
painting. Often he and his little children suffered for 
want of food; yet he persevered until he succeeded. 

In 1838 Morse exhibited his model in a hall in New 
York City. In the presence of an astonished audience 
he sent and received messages over wires stretched along 
the walls. 

Morse Asks Aid of Congress. — Morse’s troubles were 
not over, however. To make his invention valuable, 
he had to prove that messages could be sent by electricity, 
not only across a room, but miles and miles across the 


MORSE AND THE TELEGRAPH 


271 


country. For such undertaking money was needed, and 
money Morse did not have. He applied to Congress for 
funds to build a telegraph line between Washington and 
Baltimore, a distance of forty miles. 

At first, Morse was made the subject of many jokes, for 
few thought that the telegraph would work be¬ 
tween places so far apart. Some Congressmen 
called him a humbug; others looked upon him 
as a madman. 

Morse and a 
Young Friend. — 

The last day that 
Congress was to 
remain in session 
came, and Morse’s 
bill had not yet 
been passed. All 
day long he sat in 
the gallery of the 
Senate awaiting 
anxiously the fate 
of his bill. Late 



Morse’s First Telegraph Instrument (1837) 
In the U. S. National Museum, Washington 


at night, when the time for adjournment was near, Morse 
gave up all hope, and returned to his hotel. Downcast 
and heartsick, he intended to leave the next day for his 
home in New York, for he felt there was nothing for him 
to do but to go back to his painting. 

At breakfast the next morning a young lady came in, 
and greeted him smilingly with the words, “ I have come 
to congratulate you.” 
















272 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


“ For what, my dear friend? ” exclaimed Morse. 

“ Upon the passage of your bill.” Her face beamed 
with pleasure. 

Morse could scarcely believe that the news was true, 
but when he found that the young lady was not mistaken, 
he promised her that she should send the first message. 

“ What Hath God ‘Wrought! ” — With the money 
given him by Congress, Morse began at once to build a 
telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore. The 
line was completed in 1844, and Morse sent word to his 
young friend that he was ready for her message. She 



The First Telegraph Message in the Morse Alphabet 

wrote on a slip of paper, “ What hath God wrought! ” 
These words Morse sent over the wires to Baltimore — 
the first formal dispatch sent by telegraph. 

Since it costs much less to erect telegraph lines than 
to build railroads, telegraph wires were extended over the 
country much faster than railroad tracks. 

Elias Howe and the Sewing Machine 

A Conversation and Its Result. — About the time of 
the invention of the telegraph, Elias Howe invented the 
sewing machine, that great boon to toiling women. 

Howe was born in Massachusetts of very poor parents, 
and at sixteen he had gone to work at the trade of a ma¬ 
chinist. 






THE COTTON GIN AND SECTIONALISM 


273 


Some years afterward, while at work in a machine shop, 
Howe heard the owner of the shop and a visitor discussing 
the matter of inventing a sewing machine. The shop 
owner said he believed he could make one that would 
be a success. “ Well, you do 
it,” said the visitor, u and I’ll 
assure you an independent 
fortune.” 

The conversation set Howe 
to thinking. Why should he 
not invent a sewing machine 
and become rich? Certainly 
there was no harm in trying. 

Howe Invents His Machine. 

— Howe studied over the 
problem for years, and at last TT , ^ e 

r J 1 * Howe’s First Sewing Machine 

worked out a plan. He did 

not have enough money with which to make a model, 
but for a half interest in the invention a friend offered 
to board him and his wife and children free, and to give 
him five hundred dollars for use in making the model. 
Howe gladly accepted the offer. The garret of his friend’s 
house was turned over to him for a workshop, and there he 
labored day and night. At the end of six months, after 
many failures, Howe made (1845) a machine that would sew. 

The Cotton Gin and Sectionalism 

Effect of the Cotton Gin on Slavery. — Up to the 

Revolutionary War, there were slaves in every colony 
Slave labor did not pay in the North, so slavery had begun 






274 


INDUSTRIAL CHANGES 


to die out in that section. In the South there had been a 
strong inclination to free the slaves; but, when the in¬ 
crease in the cultivation of cotton was brought about by 
the cotton gin, slave labor, which was thought to be best 
for the cotton fields, took a firmer hold upon the South,, 

Slavery Becomes an Important Question. — In 1819, 
Missouri Territory, which had been a part of the Louisi¬ 
ana purchase, asked to be admitted into the Union as a 
state, and immediately a fierce quarrel broke out between 
the North and the South because Missouri wished to be a 
slave-holding state. By this time all the states in the 
North had abolished, or had taken steps to abolish, slavery 
within their boundaries. They did not wish to see any 
more states, in which slavery was allowed, admitted into 
the Union. The South, of course, wished more slave-hold¬ 
ing states. The question of slavery was then only a polit¬ 
ical one. The North feared that more slave-labor states 
would give the South control of the government, and the 
South feared that more free-labor states would give the 
North control. 

The Missouri Compromise. — The quarrel over the 
admission of Missouri became so bitter that it came very 
near breaking up the Union. On both sides threats were 
made that states would secede — that is, leave the Union 
— if they could not have their way. Finally, a com¬ 
promise was agreed upon. In 1820, Congress passed an 
Act allowing the admission of Missouri as a state with 
slavery, but forbidding slavery in the rest of the Loui¬ 
siana purchase north of a line drawn westward from the 
southern boundary of Missouri. 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


275 


Such was the “ Missouri Compromise.” It satisfied 
neither side, and, as we shall see, the bitter feeling over 
the slavery question soon broke out again. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Describe how manufacturing was done before the invention of 
machinery. 2. Tell the story of the “Industrial Revolution” in Eng¬ 
land. 3. How did the “Industrial Revolution” affect America? 
4. Why were most factories placed in the North? 

5. Who was the first great American inventor? 6. Tell the story 
of the invention of the cotton gin. 7. Describe the cotton gin, and 
tell what effect it had upon the planting of cotton. 

8. How were the grain crops formerly cut? 9. Who was the 
inventor of the reaper, and what does the reaper do? 10. What sec¬ 
tions does the reaper benefit the most, and why? n. Of what grain 
crops does the United States grow more than any other nation? 

12. Tell of Robert Fulton’s younger days. 13. What is meant by 
“Fulton’s Folly”? 14. Relate the story of the Clermont. 15. What 
may be said of steamboats since the Clermont made its first trip ? 

16. Tell about the railways and canals in America before the coming 
of the locomotive. 17. Give an account of the invention of the loco¬ 
motive. 18. How were locomotives first looked upon in America? 

19. Relate the story of the “Tom Thumb”* of the “Best Friend.” 

20. Describe travel on railroad trains in early days. 21. What have 
the railroads done for the country? 

22. Who invented the telegraph? 23. Tell how Morse got the 
idea. 24. Tell how he struggled, and how at last good news was 
brought to him. 25. When, and between what cities, was the first 
telegraph line completed? 26. What was the first message sent over 
the wires ? 

27. Relate the circumstance that led Elias Howe to think of inventing 
a sewing machine. 28. Tell something of his struggles when he was 
working on his invention. 

29. What was the effect of Whitney’s invention on slavery? 
30. Why did the North and the South quarrel over the admission of 
Missouri? 31. What was the Missouri Compromise? 


CHAPTER XXI 


WINNING THE FAR WEST 

The Republic oe Texas 

Americans in Texas. — Texas was formerly a part of 
Mexico. Even while Texas was yet Mexican territory 
Americans had gone there, attracted by its fertile soil. 
In 1830, Mexico forbade any more Americans settling 
in Texas, and passed very unjust laws against those 
already living there. But Americans kept on emigrating 
to Texas, and in a few years the Texans, most of whom 
were American settlers, rose in revolution and drove 
the Mexican troops out of the country. 

Fall of the Alamo. — For the purpose of putting down 
the revolution, Santa Anna, who was president of Mexico, 
entered Texas with a large army. He marched to attack 
the Alamo, an old Spanish mission at San Antonio, 
which the Texans were using as a fort. The garrison 
consisted of one hundred and seventy-five men, while 
Santa Anna had an army of more than four thousand. 

Early in 1836, the Mexicans appeared before the Alamo. 
The little garrison made such a heroic resistance that it 
was seven days before the overwhelming force of Mexicans 
succeeded in scaling the walls surrounding the Alamo. 
Once within the walls, the Mexicans killed every survivor 
of the garrison. 

276 


THE STORY OF SAM HOUSTON 


277 


San Jacinto. — Santa Anna continued his march 
through Texas with fourteen hundred men. The only 
hope of the Texans now lay in an army, commanded by 
General Sam Houston, which was just half as large as 
that of the enemy. 

When Santa Anna encamped at San Jacinto, on a point 
of land almost surrounded by water, Houston saw a good 
chance to strike a blow. He drew his men up in line 
of battle and said to them, “ Remember the Alamo.” 
Immediately from every throat went up the cry, “ The 
Alamo! The Alamo!” Every man was impatient to 
avenge the slaughter of his countrymen. 

The Mexicans, who were not expecting the attack, 
made but slight resistance and then broke and fled, the 
angry Texans hotly pursuing them. Half the Mexicans 
were slain and the rest were captured. 

Texas Declares Its Independence. — Meanwhile, Texas 
had already declared itself a free and independent re¬ 
public, and had selected a president to serve temporarily. 
When the time came, in the fall of 1836, to elect the first 
regular president of the young republic, the people chose 
Sam Houston, the hero of San Jacinto. 

The Story of Sam Houston 

Boyhood among the Indians. — Of all the heroes of 
American history, none had a more romantic career than 
Sam Houston. Though born in Virginia, he was brought 
up in East Tennessee, in a neighborhood where there 
were very few white settlers and where Indians still 
roamed the forest. 


278 


WINNING THE FAR WEST 


Sam attended a log schoolhouse and learned to read and 
write fairly well, but his brothers soon put him to work 
in a store. He did not like his brothers to control him, 
and he ran away. He went to live among the Cherokee 
Indians, whose lands were a few 
miles distant from his home. 

The Indians gave the boy a 
warm welcome. A chief, Ooloo- 
teka, adopted him as a son, and 
gave him a new name, Coloneh, 
which in the Cherokee language 
means “ Rover.” Sam was so 
delighted with the free life of the 
woods that for four years he lived 
among the Indians. 

In the War of 1812. — Houston left the Indians when 
he was eighteen and was teaching school when the War 
of 1812 broke out. He immediately joined the army 
as a private. His friends did not like his going into the 
ranks instead of seeking to be an officer. “I would 
much sooner honor the ranks than disgrace an appoint¬ 
ment,^ Houston answered to their sneers. “You don’t 
know me now, but you shall hear of me.” 

The regiment in which Houston served became part 
of Andrew Jackson’s army in the campaign against the 
Creek Indians, and Houston was soon made an officer. 
At the battle of Horseshoe Bend, Houston, rushing into 
the thickest of the fight, was twice wounded; first a 
barbed arrow penetrated deep into his thigh, and then 
two bullets struck his shoulder. 



THE STORY OF SAM HOUSTON 


279 


Houston as a Lawyer. — On account of his wounds, 
Houston was not able to serve again in the war. After 
peace was declared he resigned from the army and became 
a lawyer. He was now twenty-five years old. His 
wounds were slow in healing. He not only spent all his 
pay as an army officer, but was compelled to go into 
debt for medical treatment. On recovering, he rented 
an office for a dollar a month, and began the practice 
of law. Within a year he had paid every cent he owed. 

Congressman and Governor of Tennessee. — Houston’s 
rise to prominence was rapid. At thirty years of age he 
was elected to Congress, and at thirty-four he was made 
governor of Tennessee. At that time he was the most 
popular man in Tennessee, with the exception of Andrew 
Jackson, and a brilliant future seemed before him. 

But a tragedy came into Houston’s life to mar it and, 
for a while at least, to crush his noble spirit. While 
governor he had married a young lady whom he loved 
very much. Soon he found out that his wife had been 
persuaded to marry him against her will. Though 
Houston had been reared on the frontier and had lived 
among the Indians, he was too chivalrous to make his 
wife miserable by his presence; so he suddenly resigned 
the governorship and disappeared from Nashville. 

Again with the Indians. — In his great trouble, Hous¬ 
ton’s thoughts turned longingly to the quiet life he had 
spent as a boy in the wilderness. He determined to go 
to the Cherokee chief, Oolooteka, who had received him 
so kindly into his wigwam. The Cherokees had long since 
left East Tennessee and removed to the western part of 


28 o 


WINNING THE FAR WEST 


Arkansas, then a wilderness almost untrodden by white 
men. To that remote region Houston went to find once 
more a home among his Indian friends. Oolooteka 
received his adopted son, now a great statesman, with 
open-hearted welcome, and said to him, “ My wigwam 
is yours, my people are yours — rest with us.” 

Houston as an Indian Chief. — The Indians made 
Houston one of their chiefs, and for three years this self- 
exiled man lived among them. 

On one occasion Houston, dressed like an Indian chief, 
went at the head of a party of Indians to the city of 
Washington to consult the government on business for 
the tribe. What a sensation he must have caused — a 
man who had once been in Washington as a Congress¬ 
man now walking the streets as an Indian chief! 

It was while living among the Indians that Houston 
heard that the Texans were fighting against the Mexicans. 
When the news reached him he said, “ I am going, and in 
that new country I will make a man of myself again.” 

Houston was so famous that the Texans welcomed 
him and made him commander-in-chief of their army. 

War with Mexico 

Admission of Texas. — As nearly all the Texans were 
Americans most of them wished Texas to become a part 
of the United States. After remaining an independent 
republic for nine years, Texas was admitted (1845) i nto 
the Union as a state. 

The Mexicans Aggrieved. — The Mexicans objected to 
the annexation of Texas by the United States, for they 


WAR WITH MEXICO 


281 


still considered Texas a part of Mexico. Besides, they 
claimed that Texas extended westward only to the 
Nueces River, while the United States, as well as Texas, 
claimed that Texan territory extended as far as the Rio 
Grande River. The government of the United States, 
early in 1846, sent General Zachary Taylor, with a small 
army, to take possession 
of the territory between 
the Nueces and the Rio 
Grande. 

War Begins. — Taylor 
stationed his army on the 
Texas side of the Rio 
Grande and there built 
Fort Brown. On the op¬ 
posite side was a Mexican 
army twice the size of his 
own. When a force of 
Mexicans crossed the river 
and attacked the Ameri- 

. Showing territory claimed by Texas 

cans war began. Taylor 

defeated the Mexicans and led his army across the Rio 
Grande. 

Buena Vista. — Taylor marched more than three 
hundred miles into Mexico, and captured the important 
city of Monterey. He was about to push on when 
orders came from Washington to send the larger part of 
his army to reinforce General Winfield Scott in a 
campaign against the city of Mexico. Taylor, like a 
good soldier, obeyed without a murmur, but he had 









282 


WINNING THE FAR WEST 


so small an army left that he could not continue his 
march. 

Santa Anna, who was again commanding the Mexican 
army, learned of the weakened condition of Taylor’s 
force, and immediately marched against him with an 
army five times as large as that of the Americans. “ Old 
Rough and Ready,” as his soldiers were fond of calling 
Taylor, stood his ground. Toward the afternoon of the 
second day the battle seemed to be going against the 
Americans. 

“ We are whipped,” said one of his generals to Taylor. 

“ That remains for me to determine,” quietly replied 
Taylor. 

So stubbornly did “Old Rough and Ready” and his 
men resist the onslaught of the overwhelming odds against 
them that the Mexicans, after suffering severe losses, gave 
up the fight and retreated from the field. 

A Famous March. — When General Winfield Scott 
was sent against Mexico, he was ordered to capture 
Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico, then march across 
country and take the city of Mexico, the capital. 

In the spring of 1847, Scott’s army, a large part of which 
had belonged to Taylor’s command, landed on the Mexican 
coast near Vera Cruz. With the exception of Quebec, 
Vera Cruz was then the strongest fortified place in Amer¬ 
ica, yet after a three-weeks bombardment it surrendered. 

Scott then moved his army toward the city of Mexico. 
At a pass through the mountains, called Cerro Gordo, 
Santa Anna with a much larger army opposed Scott’s 
advance. The Americans attacked. They so completely 


COMPLETING OUR BOUNDARIES 283 

routed the Mexicans that Santa Anna in his haste to 
get away left behind his wooden leg. 

In midsummer, Scott resumed his march toward the 
city of Mexico. For a month battle followed battle in 
quick succession. Though the Mexicans fought bravely, 
every engagement was a victory for the Americans. 
In September, 1847, Scott entered the city of Mexico 
in triumph. He had marched through a tropical country, 
opposed by an army always larger than his own, and 
sometimes three times as large, without meeting with 
a single defeat. 

Treaty of Peace. — When the city of Mexico was 
captured, Mexico asked to make peace. A treaty was 
signed in 1848 by which Mexico gave up all claim to 
Texas. For fifteen million dollars, Mexico agreed to 
sell to the United States the vast area of land extending 
from Texas to the Pacific Ocean. From this territory 
have been formed the states of California, Nevada, and 
Utah, most of Arizona, and parts of New Mexico, Colo¬ 
rado, and Wyoming. 

Completing Our Boundaries 

Americans and Englishmen in Oregon. — While the 

Mexican War was in progress, the United States had 
secured peaceable possession of another large domain. 
The territory lying between the Rocky Mountains and 
the Pacific Ocean, and extending from the northern bound¬ 
ary of the present state of California to the southern 
boundary of Alaska, was known as the Oregon country. 
Both the United States and Great Britain claimed 


284 


WINNING THE FAR WEST 


Oregon. It was famous for its furs and skins, and for 
many years people from both the United States and Great 
Britain had, through an agreement made between the 
two nations, been building trading posts in the terri¬ 
tory. At first, the agreement worked satisfactorily, for 
Americans then looked upon Oregon as a country too 
far away to be of much use to them; but as their settle¬ 
ments beyond the Missis¬ 
sippi spread, Americans 
began to think Oregon 
was of value. 

One of the remarkable 
things about the Ameri¬ 
can people is the rapid 
way in which they pushed 
westward. Nothing would 
satisfy but that the United 
States should reach from 
ocean to ocean. It was 
this spirit that made 
Americans eager to get 
into Texas and then made them turn their thoughts to 
far-away Oregon. 

Extending the Northwest Boundary. — Just at the time 
that Americans were beginning to realize the value of 
Oregon, Englishmen were going into the territory very fast 
by way of Canada. Americans feared that, if the United 
States did not take possession of the country, Great Britain 
would. Many declared that rather than give up one foot 
of Oregon, the United States should fight Great Britain. 











QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


285 

Fortunately, the matter was settled without war. 
By a treaty made in 1846, the Oregon country was 
divided between the two nations, each getting about one 
half. The division was made by extending the bound¬ 
ary line between the United States and Canada east 
of the Rocky Mountains, westward to the Pacific. From 
our share of the Oregon country have been created 
the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. 

Rounding out the Southwest Boundary. — In 1853, 
the United States purchased from Mexico a narrow 
stretch of land on the southern border of New Mexico 
and Arizona. The land was purchased through James 
Gadsden, our minister to Mexico, and for this reason 
it is called the “ Gadsden Purchase.” 

With the “ Gadsden Purchase” the area of the United 
States proper, as it stands to-day, was completed. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. By what people had Texas been chiefly settled? 2. Why did 
ehe Texans rise against Mexico? 3. Tell the story of the Alamo. 
4. Describe the battle of San Jacinto. 5. What kind of government 
did the Texans set up? 

6. Tell of Sam Houston’s boyhood. 7. What part did he take in 
the battle of Horseshoe Bend? 8. Tell how he rose to prominence. 
9. Why did he leave Tennessee ? Where did he go ? 

10. What was the cause of the Mexican War? n. Tell of the 
movements of General Zachary Taylor in the early part of the war. 
12. Describe the battle of Buena Vista. 13. What campaign was 
General Winfield Scott directed to make? 14. Describe Scott’s cam¬ 
paign. 15. What did the United States gain by the treaty of peace? 

16. What two nations claimed Oregon ? 17. What early agreement 

was made by the two nations? 18. How was the double claim to 
Oregon finally settled? 19. What was the “ Gadsden Purchase”? 


CHAPTER XXII 


PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

Growth of the Middle West 

What the Census Showed. — Along with its. expansion 
in area, the United States was increasing in population 
very fast. The first census, taken in 1790, one year after 
the government under the Constitution began, showed 
only four million persons then living in this country. 
Fifty years later (1840) the census gave the population as 
seventeen million. In twenty years more (i860) the 
population had increased to thirty-one million. All 
sections had gained in population. 

“ Westward Ho !” — Six years before the outbreak of 
the Revolutionary War, Daniel Boone crossed the Alle¬ 
ghany Mountains and gazed for the first time upon the 
lands of Kentucky. From that day the wave of em¬ 
igration westward had not stopped. Lands in the west 
were fertile and cheap, and many of those struggling for 
a living in the East saw in the West a better place for 
them to build their homes and try their fortunes. These 
emigrants were brave and strong and they did not fear 
the dangers and hardships that they knew they would 
meet in the new country. 

From every town, village, and community in the Atlantic 
States people turned their faces to the West. They went 


286 


GROWTH OF THE MIDDLE WEST 


287 


singly or in families, in small parties or in companies 
of hundreds. They went in wagons, they went on horse¬ 
back, they went on foot. The usual way of making the 
journey was in a long covered wagon in which the family 







Wsf 


1900 TT 


Tele Westward Movement oe Population 


rode and in which the household goods were carried. 
It was a common thing to see a long train of these emi¬ 
grant wagons moving along the roads leading to the West, 
with herds of cattle and droves of hogs driven ahead. But 
there were many too poor to travel in this manner. 






























288 


PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 


Sometimes an entire family, except the infant in the 
mother’s arms, would trudge along the dusty road on 
foot, hauling everything they owned in a small hand¬ 
cart or wheelbarrow. 

Winter did not stop the westward movement. With 
those who could afford it, sleighs took the place of wagons; 
others plodded through the snow. 

Towns Quickly Spring Up. — When the mountains were 
crossed, the most difficult part of the long and tedious 
journey was over. When they reached the rivers flowing 
westward, the emigrants either bought or built a raft 
or a flat-bottomed boat and let the rivers carry them to 
the heart of the Middle West. The emigrant who wished 
to farm selected a place suitable for his home, erected 
his cabin, cleared a bit of the forest, and began his plant¬ 
ing. But the pioneers were not all farmers; there were 
many lawyers, doctors/ storekeepers, and laborers of 
all kinds. Around a store or blacksmith shop a settle¬ 
ment started and with amazing quickness became a town. 

States of the Middle West. — So rapid had been the 
settling of the Middle West that by 1820 the frontier had 
crossed the Mississippi River. By i860, all the region 
east of the Mississippi and even the west bank of the 
river for its entire length had been made into states. 
Gold had been discovered in California, and the emigrants 
had passed over the intervening territory and developed 
states on the Pacific Coast. 

Communication between the East and the West. — 

When emigrants first started toward the West there were 
no roads across the mountains, so they followed Indian 


GROWTH OF THE MIDDLE WEST 


289 


trails and buffalo paths. They opened up roads as they 
moved on, but such roads as the pioneers could make 
were so poor that they were almost impassable for wagons 0 
The cost of sending freight over these roads to the people 
of the West and the carrying of their produce to the 
markets of the East was enormous. Consequently, the 
Westerners found much difficulty in buying what they 
needed and selling what they raised. 

The Westerners demanded better communication with 
the East and, as their section filled up with settlers, the 



demand became so strong that it could no longer be 
ignored. The merchants of the Eastern cities joined 
in the demand, for they knew that if the Westerners 
could not trade with them, they would trade with New 
Orleans by using the Mississippi River. 

The Cumberland Road and the Erie Canal. — Before 
railroads had come to America, the cry went up for canals 
and good roads leading to the West. Since to give the 
people these conveniences could be done only at very 
great cost, corporations and the Federal and State govern¬ 
ments undertook the work. The best wagon road con¬ 
structed to connect the East and the West is the National 
Road, or, as it is more commonly called, the Cumberland 









290 PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

Road. This is a splendid turnpike built by the United 
States government and extending from Cumberland, 
Maryland, to Vidalia, Illinois, a distance of eight hundred 
miles. 

The most noteworthy of the canals is the Erie, built 
by the state of New York. This canal extends from 
Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and thus connects the 
waters of the Great Lakes with the waters of the Atlantic 
Ocean. It is 352 miles in length and is the second longest 
canal in the world. The building of the canal was 
a remarkable feat of engineering for the times. 

The Cumberland Road and the Erie Canal, by greatly 
reducing freight rates between the East and the West, 
built up a flourishing trade between the two sections. 
They further developed the West by giving emigrants 
cheaper and better ways of getting to that section. Once 
arrived in the West, steamboats on the Great Lakes or the 
numerous rivers now made traveling comparatively easy. 

Railroads Help the West. — After 1850, when rapid 
building of railroads was going on throughout the country, 
the locomotive proved of great help in opening up the 
Middle West, especially the Northwest where many 
railroads were soon built. The locomotive brought the 
Northwest closer to the rest of the country, and emigrants 
poured into that section. The impetus given to the 
growth of the Northwest may be seen in the increase in 
the population of its cities. Cincinnati, which, in 1850, 
had one hundred and fifteen thousand inhabitants, had, 
in i860, more than one hundred and sixty thousand. 
St. Louis increased its population, in the same time, from 


GROWTH OF THE MIDDLE WEST 291 

seventy-five thousand to one hundred and sixty thou¬ 
sand. Chicago, a small city of thirty thousand in 
1850, became, in ten years, a city nearly four times as 
large, having jumped to one hundred and ten thousand 
inhabitants. 

Farming in the West. — Another factor that developed 
the Northwest was the invention of farm machinery. 
With the exception of the cotton gin, all machines for 



An Overland Train on Its Way to the Far West 


farming that had been invented were used in connection 
with grain and grass crops. 

The crops of the farmers who went to the Northwest 
were wheat, barley, oats, corn, and hay. As slavery 
was forbidden north of the Ohio River their farms were 
small. When the McCormick reaper and other machines 
for cultivating grain and grass crops came into use, work 
on the farms of the Northwest was made lighter and 
more profitable. The small farms gave room for many 
settlers and the fertile soil drew them like a magnet. 

Lands in the Southwest were also very fertile, and 
steamboats and railroads were carrying emigrants to that 



292 PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

section; but the settlers of the Southwest depended 
mainly upon the planting of cotton, and they used slaves 
to do the labor. Plantations, instead of small farms, 
were the rule, and living there was, in the main, much the 
same as it had been for many years in the rest of the South. 

Immigrants from the Old World 

Foreigners Seeking America. — Since so many thou¬ 
sands had left the East to go to the West, it naturally 
would seem impossible for the East also to show a great 
increase in population. But the loss was offset by births 
in the East and by the foreigners who settled in that 
section. 

Immigration from Europe had, of course, stopped 
during the Revolutionary War, but, with the close of 
that war, it set in again. Many of the people of the Old 
World were still dissatisfied with their governments and 
their conditions of living. They still looked with longing 
eyes upon the freedom of the New World and the greater 
opportunity given there to live the life one wished. 

Immigrants of Early Years. — While every year, 
except when war prevented, immigrants came to the 
United States, they came in greater waves at some 
periods than at others. 

About the time that our War of 1812 closed, the long 
series of wars in Europe also came to an end. These 
wars had almost ruined the business of Europe and had 
thrown many persons out of employment. Not only 
were these unfortunates out of work and earning nothing, 
but they were burdened with heavy taxes to meet the 


IMMIGRANTS FROM THE OLD WORLD 


293 


expenses of the wars. As soon as the coming of peace 
gave them the opportunity, thousands upon thousands 
of these men and women emigrated to America to escape 
the almost unbearable conditions. In one year (1817) 
fifty thousand came over. While they came from every 
country of Europe, most of them came from England, 
Ireland, and Germany. The large majority of the 
immigrants of this period settled in the Eastern States. 



Foreign Immigrants 

IRISH SWEDE GERMAN ITALIAN RUSSIAN CHINAMAN 


Immigrants of Later Periods. — In 1846, and again in 
1847, the potato crop of Ireland, which furnished the main 
article of food for that country, failed. Terrible fam¬ 
ines followed, causing the death of very many of the 
inhabitants. Numbers of Irishmen, rather than face 
starvation at home, sought relief by coming to America, 
In 1848, a revolution broke out in Germany against the 
despotic government of that country. The revolution 
was put down, and many persons, fearing that they would 
be put to death for taking part in it, fled to the United 
States. In the five years, 1846-1850, more than a million 





294 PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

and a quarter, mostly Irish and German, landed on our 
shores. The Irish, as a rule, remained in the cities of 
the East; the Germans moved on into the Northwest, 
where they became farmers. 

Every year after 1850, except during the War of 
Secession, immigration kept up at enormous figures until 
stopped by the World War. In recent times it has not 
been unusual for more than a million immigrants to arrive 
in one year. 

How Foreigners Become Americans. — When a for¬ 
eigner has lived in this country not less than five years 
and has complied with certain requirements he becomes 
as much a citizen of the United States as a person bom 
in this country. The process through which he goes in 
order to become a citizen is called “ naturalization/’ 
and he is spoken of as a “ naturalized” American in dis¬ 
tinction from the native American. 

Immigration a Serious Problem. — Immigrants that 
come from the northern countries of Europe are of a class 
that make good citizens, and as long as most of the 
immigrants were of that class all went well. But since 
the War of Secession most of the immigrants coming to 
this country have been from the lower classes of eastern 
and southeastern Europe, and they give much trouble. 
They are for the most part very ignorant, and, having been 
downtrodden in their old homes, they have no respect 
for law or government. In fact, many of them would 
like to see the government of the United States destroyed. 
How to deal with this undesirable class of immigrants is 
one of the most serious problems that we have to-day. 


THE FACTORY SYSTEM 


295 


The Factory System and the Eastern Cities 

Growth of Manufactures. — While grain and grass 
crops are still raised in the North and East, manufacturing 
has become the chief industry of those sections. Such 
had been the growth of manufacturing that by 1850 
nearly every kind of manufactured article was made in 
the United States. By that time the number of persons 



A Cotton Mill 


employed in manufacturing, together with their families, 
had become greater than the whole number of inhabitants 
in the country when Washington became president. 
Cotton and woolen goods were made in New England, 
while wooden articles and iron wares were made in the 
Middle States and Ohio. 

Growth of the Cities. — In the North and East the 
population of the cities had grown faster than that of the 
rural districts. Much of this growth is due to the fact 
that the factories, which are usually located in cities. 



296 PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

have attracted many laborers who would otherwise have 
found employment on the farm. 

The four largest cities were still, in i860, in the North 
and East. New York then had a population of more 
than eight hundred thousand; Philadelphia, nearly five 
hundred and seventy-five thousand; Baltimore, two hun¬ 
dred thousand; and Boston, one hundred and seventy-five 
thousand. Not one of these cities was more than a good 
sized town in Washington’s time. 

Life in the cities had become more comfortable. Public 
buildings, office buildings, and stores were larger and 
more handsomely constructed; homes were better built 
and had more conveniences. Lighting was done by gas 
and heating by coal. There was much gayety, theater¬ 
going and dancing being the favorite amusements. 

The North and the South. — The numerous factories 
and the many small farms cultivating various crops by 
machinery had so developed the North and Northwest 
that those sections had become much more populous 
than the South and the Southwest. 

Andrew Jackson the “People’s” President 

The Working Men Given the Ballot. — For some 
years after the States had gained their independence 
they continued the old colonial laws that required that 
a voter should be a property owner. Under these laws 
many among the masses could not vote. As time passed, 
however, it was realized that the more liberal a govern¬ 
ment is regarding the ballot the more democratic it is. 
By 1824, most states had passed laws allowing every 


ANDREW JACKSON THE “ PEOPLE’S ” PRESIDENT 297 

man to vote. The effect was soon seen in the choice of 
candidates for office. 

Andrew Jackson the “ People’s” President. — Of all 

the men then in public life Andrew Jackson was the 
favorite of the masses, for he was a “ self-made” man. 
Jackson, though born and bred in poverty, had risen to 
high position. In 1828, he was elected President. While 
many of the so-called “ upper-class” had voted for him., 
the masses had supported him solidly. 

Because of Jackson’s humble birth the “ plain people ” 
looked upon him as belonging to them, and they followed 
his leadership without question. For his part, Jackson’s 
devotion to these people was unbounded. Whenever he 
thought he saw a chance to advance their interests, he 
acted quickly. His political opponents sometimes ac¬ 
cused him of acting too quickly. Most of the statesmen 
did not think that he knew how to run a great govern¬ 
ment like ours. But Jackson, strongwilled and coura¬ 
geous, usually had his way; and even in the heat of the 
political fight made against him, no one ever doubted his 
honesty. By his firm and aggressive course he made an 
impression on American politics that is felt to the present 
time. 

Why Jackson’s Election Was Important. — Since Jack- 
son was the first President who was a self-made man, 
and the first chosen mainly by the votes of the masses, 
his election marks the beginning of an important period 
in our history. From that time the influence of the 
masses in the management of the affairs of government 
has steadily increased. 


298 PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 
The “Forty-Niners” 

Finding of Gold in California. — In 1848, nine days 
before the treaty of peace between the United States 
and Mexico was signed, whereby Mexico sold California 
to the United States, gold was found near Sacramento. 
In that far-away country, then sparsely settled and 
having neither telegraph nor railroad, 
news traveled slowly. Fortunately for 
us the Mexicans did not hear of the dis¬ 
covery before signing the treaty, for 
otherwise they would not have been so 
willing to part with California. 

Early in 1849, news of the discovery 
spread over the United States and the 
gold fever swept the country. Every¬ 
where in the East the most improbable 
stories of the vast wealth to be gathered 
in California were believed. 

The Rush to the Gold Fields. — Such 
another migration as the one that im¬ 
mediately began to California has never been known in 
our history. Thousands upon thousands of eager fortune 
hunters followed one another to the gold fields. 

There were three routes to California. One was 
entirely by ship around Cape Horn; one was by ship 
to the Isthmus of Panama, across the Isthmus on foot 
or on mules, then by another ship up the Pacific; and 
the third was overland across the continent. 

Tropical fever took away many an unfortunate gold 



A Forty-Niner 



THE “ FORTY-NINERS 


299 


seeker while waiting on the Isthmus for a ship to take 
him to California; yet the trip across the continent was 
also full of danger and numbers of those who tried this 
route died on the way. 

Most of those going overland used the “ prairie 
schooner/’ a long wagon drawn by six horses or oxen. 
The white canvas top and boat-shaped body of the 
“ prairie schooner ” as it moved over prairie or plain 
gave in the distance the appearance of a vessel. The 
thousands of these wagons passing across the continent, 
all through the spring and summer, made a picturesque 
scene. 

Magic Growth of California. — While Mexico owned 
the territory there had been in all California only a few 
thousand people; by the end of 1849 inhabitants 
numbered one hundred thousand, mostly Americans. 
San Francisco and Sacramento, which less than a year 
before were mere hamlets, had grown into young cities, 
the former having twenty thousand and the latter ten 
thousand inhabitants. 

A State Government for California. — Because the 
first emigrants had reached California in 1849, they called 
themselves the “ forty-niners.” Of course, the desire 
to get rich quickly had carried there many criminals who 
committed all kinds of lawless acts. To preserve order 
in the territory the better class of “ forty-niners ” or¬ 
ganized a government in November, 1849, and applied to 
Congress for the admission of California into the Union 
as a state. The constitution they adopted forbade 
slavery. 


300 


PROGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Tell something about the increase of population between 1790 
and i860. 2. Relate the story of the migration to the Middle West. 

3. Give some idea of the growth of the Middle West. 4. Describe 
the method of communication between the East and the West in early 
days. 5. Tell the story of the Cumberland Road; of the Erie Canal. 
6. How did railroads help the West ? 7. Tell how life in the North¬ 

west and in the Southwest differed. 

8. Why did foreigners wish to come to America? 9. Compare the 
immigrants of early years with those of recent years. 10. Tell how 
a foreigner may become a citizen of the United States. 11. Why is 
immigration a serious problem? 

12. Tell about the growth of the factory system. 13. How does 
the factory system affect the cities? 14. Which were the four largest 
cities in i860? 15. Describe life in the cities at that time. 16. Why 

had the North become more populous than the South? 

17. What great change had been made in voting by 1824 ? 18. Why 
is Andrew Jackson called a “self-made man ” ? 19. How did the “plain 
people” look upon Jackson, and how did he treat them? 20. What 
may be said of Jackson’s character? 21. Tell about the influence of 
the masses upon public affairs. 

22. What important discovery was made in California? 23. Give 
an account of the rush to the gold fields. 24. Describe the remarkable 
growth of California, and tell how a state government was formed. 
25. Did the constitution of California allow slavery? 


CHAPTER XXIII 


THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH DRIFT APART 


Webster, Clay, and Calhoun, “The Great 
Triumvirate” 

The Three Giants.—During the War of 1812 there 
were three young men serving in Congress whose names 
are linked together in history because, for nearly forty 
years afterward, they were chief among the leaders of the 
republic. These men were 
Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, 
and John C. Calhoun. 

Webster, Clay, and Calhoun 
were the leaders in the United 
States Senate during a time 
when feeling between the 
North and the South was be¬ 
coming bitter. Webster was 
a Senator from Massachusetts, 

Clay from Kentucky, and Cal¬ 
houn from South Carolina. 

Webster, a Northern man, represented the views of the 
North; Calhoun, a Southern man, represented the views 
of the South; and Clay, coming from a central state, 
represented views that were midway between the views 
of the North and of the South. 

301 



Daniel Webster 


302 


NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


States’ Rights. — At the time of the adoption of the 
Constitution it was a belief common to North and South 
that, since each state had voluntarily joined the Union, 
a state might secede, or leave the Union, at any time it 
saw fit. 

During the first years of the government under the 
Constitution, New Englanders were not satisfied, for 
they thought many of the laws passed by the United 
States injured their commerce. They opposed the War 
of 1812 because they believed that their commerce would 
be damaged by the war. 

New England made threats of secession. States of 
that section claimed also the right of “ nullification ” — 
that is, the right of a state to refuse to obey a law of Con¬ 
gress that it considered unconstitutional. During the 
War of 1812 some of those states nullified laws passed by 
Congress. 

After a time there came a change. New England 
ceased to believe in secession and nullification, while, 
on the other hand, the South continued to advocate 
them. 

South Carolina Nullifies a Federal Law. — Congress 
had placed a high tax on goods brought from other coun¬ 
tries. A tax placed on foreign goods is called a tariff. 
The North favored the high tariff because it bene¬ 
fited its manufacturers. The South thought that the 
tariff injured its business. In 1832, South Carolina 
refused to allow the tax to be collected in the state. Cal¬ 
houn guided his state in this act of nullification. 

Andrew Jackson was President of the United States at 


WEBSTER, CLAY, AND CALHOUN 


303 

the time. “ Old Hickory,” though a Southern man, be¬ 
lieved, like most people in the North, that the laws of 
the United States should be enforced in spite of the objec¬ 
tion of any state. He declared that the Federal Union 
must be preserved, and promptly took measures to send 
troops into South Carolina to compel the people of that 
state to obey the law. Meanwhile, citizens of South 
Carolina quickly took 
up arms to defend their 
state against an invasion 
of United States troops. 

The greatest excitement 
prevailed over the coun¬ 
try, for it looked as if 
there would certainly be 
war between Americans. 

Clay’s Compromise.— 

Violent debates occurred 
in Congress. In the 
Senate, Webster was the 
leader for the North, the section that wished the high 
tariff continued because it benefited its manufacturers. 
Calhoun was the leader for the South. 

When excitement was at its highest pitch, Clay thought 
of a way to keep peace. He offered in the Senate a com¬ 
promise to the effect that the tariff should be reduced 
gradually — that is, year by year, over a certain period 
of years. The compromise was accepted by both sides, 
and the danger of a war between the sections was, for a 
time, warded off. 



Henry Clay 


304 NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 

“ Rather Be Right than Be President.” — While Clay 
was preparing his compromise some one who did not 
favor it advised him not to offer it to the Senate as it 
would destroy his chances for the presidency. Clay 
nobly replied, “ I had rather be right than be Presi¬ 
dent.’^’ 

The Slavery Question. — Good feeling between the 
North and South was not restored, however, because the 
two sections continued to quarrel about slavery. 

We have already learned that the Missouri Compromise 
quieted the slavery question for a short time only. As 
the western country opened up and more territories applied 
for admission as states, objection of the northern people 
to new states with slavery grew stronger. Though op¬ 
position of the North to slave-labor had at first been on 
political grounds, there were now other reasons. Some 
Northerners objected because, believing that slavery was 
wrong, they thought it should be abolished everywhere 
in the United States, and many others objected for in¬ 
dustrial reasons, believing that free-labor was better for 
the new states than slave-labor. 

The North claimed that, under the Constitution, Con¬ 
gress had the right to prohibit slavery in the lands be¬ 
longing to the United States; the South denied that Con¬ 
gress had this right. 

Year in and year out the question of slavery was de¬ 
bated in Congress, discussed in the pulpit and the news¬ 
papers, and argued in political meetings. The more the 
question was agitated the further apart the North and 
the South drifted. So great was the influence of Webster, 


WEBSTER, CLAY, AND CALHOUN 305 

Clay, and Calhoun in all those years that they became 
known as the “ Great Triumvirate.” 

Clay’s Compromise of 1850. —The last time the great 
three met in debate in the Senate was in 1850. The 
question under discussion was whether California, which 
had asked to be admitted as a free-labor state, should 
come into the Union with or without slavery. The South 
wished the new state to 
have slavery and the 
North objected. The 
question had aroused such 
bad feeling between the 
two sections that the 
South was on the verge of 
secession. 

Once more Clay came 
forward to pacify both the 
North and the South by 
a compromise. Calhoun 
opposed the compromise because he did not think that it 
gave the South justice. Webster joined with Clay in 
supporting it, and after months of debate it was adopted. 
By the compromise, California was admitted without 
slavery and certain laws that the South demanded were 
passed. Again the slavery question seemed to have been 
settled by a compromise, and again the settlement was 
only temporary. 

The Passing of the Giants. — The three giants of the 
Senate were now old men. Clay was so feeble that he 
could hardly walk up the steps of the Capitol, yet he 



John C. Calhoun 


3 o6 NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 

made a speech in favor of his compromise that lasted 
three days. Calhoun was even more feeble. He was 
not able to deliver his speech, and he sat in his seat in 
the Senate while another Senator read it. Before the de¬ 
bate on the compromise had ended Calhoun died, and Clay 
and Webster followed him to the grave two years later. 

How the Giants Differed Intellectually. — Webster is 
ranked as America’s greatest orator. He had a most 
remarkable memory, and a great passion for reading. 
From the time that he was a boy he had read much and 
stored in his mind a vast amount of learning. His elo¬ 
quence was unexcelled and on account of his able speeches 
in behalf of the Constitution of the United States he is 
called the “ Defender of the Constitution.” 

Clay was also a great orator, but he did not have the 
learning of Webster. His power lay in his graceful way 
of speaking and his pleasing manner. His personality 
was so charming that men loved him much. Indeed, no 
other statesman of America has ever had a following so 
devoted to their leader. Because he so often smoothed 
out the difficulties between the North and the South, he 
is called the “ Great Pacificator.” 

Calhoun had the deepest intellect of the three. He 
was as much a lover of the people’s rights as either Web¬ 
ster or Clay; but he believed that these rights could better 
be protected by the home, or the state government, than 
by the United States government. Webster said of him 
in a speech delivered in the Senate at the time of his 
death, “ Nothing that was selfish or impure ever came 
near the head or heart of Calhoun.” 


SECESSION OF THE SOUTHERN STATES 307 

Secession of the Southern States 

Sectional Discord Increases. — Clay's Compromise of 
1850 quieted the quarrel over slavery for only four years; 
then it broke out again more violently than ever when 
the question arose whether slavery should be allowed in 
Kansas and Nebraska, which were about to be organized 
as territories. 



A new political party, the Republican, was organized 
in the North for the express purpose of preventing the 
spread of slavery into any more territories. In i860, the 
Republican party nominated Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois, 
for President of the United States. Every Northern state 
voted for Lincoln and he was elected. The Southern 
states voted against him, for it was believed in the South 
that Lincoln’s election would bring disaster to that section. 














308 


NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


The Confederate States. — Soon after it became known 
that Lincoln was elected, the following Southern states 
seceded: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, 
Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. 

The seceding states formed a government of their own 
known as the Confederate States of America and elected 
Jefferson Davis of Mississippi their President. 

The Southern people believed that their states had a 
right to leave the Union, but Lincoln and a majority of 
the people of the North did not believe that a state had 
such a right. On account of this difference of opinion a 
terrible war between the North and South broke out. 
Rather than engage on the side of the North in a war 
waged against their sister Southern states, Virginia, Ar¬ 
kansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee also seceded and 
joined the Confederacy. 

After four years of desperate fighting, in which hundreds 
of thousands of lives were lost, the North, being much 
the stronger, was victorious, and the attempt on the part 
of the South to leave the Union failed. 

Abraham Lincoln, President of the United 
States 

Lincoln’s Log Cabin Home.—Abraham Lincoln was 
born February 12, 1809, in a log cabin on a small farm in 
Kentucky. The cabin was hardly more than a shack. 
Built of roughly hewn logs, carelessly put together, it 
contained only one room with one door and one window, 
The land upon which the miserable home stood was 
rocky and infertile. 


ABRAHAM LINCOLN 


309 



When Abraham, or Abe, as he was called, was eight 
years old, his father moved to the frontier country of 
Indiana. All the furniture and clothing that the family 
owmed were carried on the backs of two borrowed horses. 
In the forests of Indiana, Thomas Lincoln, Abe’s father, 
built a hut. As one side of the hut was entirely uncovered, 
the family was exposed to the snows and rains and winds 
of winter. When Thomas 
Lincoln finally built a 
cabin, it was some years 
before the floor was laid 
and the doors and the 
window blinds were put in. 

Abe’s bed was a kind of 
bunk or platform built of 
planks, raised almost to 
the height of the roof and supported on one side by the 
wall of the cabin and on the other by poles nailed to the 
floor. He climbed to his bed by means of pegs driven 
into the wall, and slept on leaves for a mattress, using 
the skins of animals for covering. 

Lincoln Educates Himself. — Abe did not go to school 
more than a year in his whole life, for he had to do a man s 
work while yet a mere boy. When he was not working 
at home, he was hired out to a neighbor, at twenty-five 
cents a day, the wages going to his father. 

The boy longed for an education, and since he could 
not go to school, he decided to teach himself. At night, 
after a day of hard work, he would lie on the floor of the 
cabin in front of the wide chimney and study by the light 


Log Cabin in Which Abraham 
Lincoln Was Born 



3 IQ 


NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


of the fire. He would work sums on a wooden shovel 
with a piece of charcoal for a pencil, and the next day 
would plane off the shovel in order to use it another night. 

The Books Young Lincoln Read. — The books that 
young Abe enjoyed the most were ^Esop's Fables , Robin- 
son Crusoe , Pilgrim's Progress , the Bible , a History of 
the United States , the Statutes of Indiana , and a Life of 
Washington. The Life of Washington was a borrowed 
book. One night, after climbing on the pegs to his bed, 
he placed this book under the rafters of the cabin. In 
the night a heavy rain fell and, leaking through the roof, 
soaked its pages. 

As soon as daylight came, Abe set out for the farm of 
the man who had lent him the book, and there worked 
three days in the cornfield to pay for it; but having now 
become the proud possessor of the Life of Washington y 
he walked gayly back home, forgetful of the toil that it 
had cost him. 

Young Lincoln borrowed all the books that he could 
find for miles around. By teaching himself he became bet¬ 
ter educated than any one else in that rough community. 
At the age of seventeen he had a fair knowledge of history, 
geography and arithmetic; and at spelling matches he 
could outspell any one in the country. 

Popular with His Neighbors.—Lincoln was a clever 
mimic, and he had a vast fund of wit and humor. Often 
while yet a boy, he would make stump speeches for the 
amusement of his friends, and he was always considered 
excellent company. 

The neighbors of young Lincoln looked up to him be- 


ABRAHAM LINCOLN 


311 

cause he was better educated than they, yet they seemed 
to admire him more for his physical strength. By the 
time that he was eighteen he had reached his full height, 
six feet four inches, and he could “ outlift, outwork, out¬ 
run, and outwrestle every man of his acquaintance.” 

Removes to Illinois. — When Lincoln was twenty-one 
his father moved to Illinois. There Abe helped build 
a new cabin, split rails for a fence, and prepare a small 
plot of ground for planting. 



A Mississippi River Flatboat 


Lincoln, having now become of age, decided to see what 
he could do for himself. At first he hired out, now on 
one farm and now on another. Next he guided a flatboat 
loaded with merchandise down the Mississippi to New 
Orleans. Then he became, in turn, a clerk in a village 
store, a soldier in a war against the Indians, and the owner 
of a small store. While Lincoln was trying to manage 
his store, he spent too much time in reading, so of course 
the business went to ruin. 

“ Honest Abe.” — Though Lincoln failed in business 
he won an enviable reputation for honesty. One day by 









312 


NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


mistake he overcharged a customer a few pennies. That 
night, after the store was closed, he walked three miles 
to the home of the customer to return the overcharge. 
When his store failed, he was left with a heavy debt; 
but he paid it oh, dollar for dollar, though it took him 
seventeen years to do so. Is it any wonder that he came 
to be known as “ Honest Abe ” ? 

Lincoln a Lawyer. — Next Lincoln became a surveyor. 
While following this work he began the study of law, and 
he was still so poor that he would walk twenty miles from 
his home to the town of Springfield to borrow law books 
from a friend. Before finishing the study of law he was 
elected to the legislature of Illinois. He was now twenty- 
five years old. In becoming a lawyer Lincoln had at last 
found his calling. He was successful, and what is better, 
he would never defend a man whom he believed to be 
guilty. 

In Congress. — At the age of thirty-seven, Lincoln 
was elected to Congress. Though he served only one 
term, it was at the time when the question of slavery in 
the territories was making the North and the South very 
bitter toward each other. 

Lincoln was opposed to the policy of allowing slavery 
in the territories. After his term as Congressman was 
over, he made many public speeches against the policy, 
and became very popular throughout the North. 

A Homely Man. — In personal appearance, Lincoln 
was not attractive. He was plain of feature, though 
honesty was stamped on every line of his face. He had 
long arms and legs and large hands and feet, and was 


ABRAHAM LINCOLN 


313 


very awkward in his movements. His dress was often 
uncouth, yet no sooner had he begun to speak than his 
earnestness and eloquence made the audience forget his 
plainness and awkwardness. 

As a War President. — Lincoln, as President of the 
United States when the North and the South were warring 
against each other, had to 
raise the armies for the 
Union, select command¬ 
ers, and direct cam¬ 
paigns. The task would 
have been tremendous for 
any one, but it was espe¬ 
cially so for a self-taught 
man whose life had been 
spent on the frontier. 

Yet it is doubtful whether 
any one could have done 
the work better. 

Many times during the war, the Union army was de¬ 
feated and gloom was spread over the North. Lincoln 
was often blamed for these reverses; but he let nothing 
keep him from following the course he thought right, and, 
though often discouraged, he did not once lose hope. 

Lincoln was very tender-hearted. It grieved him that 
so many brave men on each side should lose their lives, 
but he believed it to be his duty to continue the war until 
the South should give up. 

The Proclamation of Emancipation. — At the beginning 
of the war Lincoln did not believe that he had a right to m- 



Abraham Lincoln 


314 NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 

terfere with slavery in the states where it already existed; 
but later he came to the conclusion that as the slaves 
were raising the crops that supported the Confederate 
army, he had the right to free them as an act of war. 
Therefore, he issued, in 1863, the Proclamation of Eman¬ 
cipation, declaring every slave in the parts of the country 
held by the Confederates, forever free. The proclama¬ 
tion marked the beginning of the end of slavery. Soon 
after the war closed, slavery was abolished everywhere 
in the United States. 

Assassination of Lincoln. — Just at the time when the 
war was drawing to a close, Lincoln was assassinated. 
One night while he was seated in a box in a theater at 
Washington, witnessing a play, an actor slipped into the 
box and shot him. Lincoln died the next day, April 15, 
1865. 

The murderer thought that in killing Lincoln he was 
doing the South a service, but he did that section a great 
injury. Lincoln had the most kindly feeling for the South¬ 
ern people, and would have done all in his power to help 
them recover from the effects of the war. 

Scarcely had the war ended when dishonest white men 
— mainly from the North — and ignorant negroes got 
control of the State governments in the South, and for 
many years longer that section suffered almost as much 
as it had during the war. Every one now believes that, 
had Lincoln’s life been spared, he would have saved the 
South from such a calamity. 

No career in our history is more remarkable than that 
of Lincoln. He rose from the humblest walks of life to the 


JEFFERSON DAVIS 315 

highest position in the gift of the people, and that position 
he filled so well at a most critical time that his name is 
honored and revered. As long as Americans value un¬ 
failing honesty, faithfulness to conviction, and rugged 
force, so long will the memory of Abraham Lincoln live. 

Jefferson Davis, President of the 
Confederate States 

The Boyhood of Davis. — Jefferson Davis was born in 
Kentucky June 3, 1808. It will be noted that he was 
born only eight months before Abraham Lincoln, and in 
the same state. The lives of these two Kentucky boys 
were to cross in an unusual manner. 

Jefferson Davis came of fighting stock. His father 
had been a soldier of the Revolutionary War, serving 
in the patriot bands of South Carolina and Georgia, and 
three of his brothers fought in the War of 1812 and were 
with Andrew Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. 

When little Jefferson was three years old, his father 
removed to Mississippi and became a cotton planter. 
The Davis family was not well-to-do and the older boys 
had to help on the farm. As soon as Jefferson was old 
enough, he was sent to a log cabin school near his home, 
and then he was sent to better schools away from home. 
Later he was appointed to a cadetship at the Military 
Academy at West Point where the United States govern¬ 
ment trains young men for soldiers. 

In the Army and in Congress. — Jefferson Davis was 
graduated from West Point when he was twenty years 
old, and was appointed a lieutenant in the army. For 


316 


NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


seven years he served on the frontier, building forts, pro¬ 
tecting settlements, and fighting Indians. After a time 
Davis resigned from the army and settled in Mississippi 
as a cotton planter. Soon the people of his district, 
recognizing his ability, sent him to Congress. 

A Volunteer in the Mexican War. — While Davis was 
serving in Congress, the Mexican War broke out. A 
.regiment of volunteers raised in Mississippi, and known 
as the “ Mississippi Rifles,” elected him their colonel. 
He resigned his seat in Congress and returned South to 
take command — glad of a chance to serve his country 
on the battle field. 

Davis and his regiment joined Zachary Taylor’s army 
ki Mexico, and became noted for their bravery. At the 
battle of Buena Vista, it will be remembered, the over¬ 
whelming numbers of Santa Anna’s army were, on the 
second day, pressing back Taylor’s little force. It was 
Jefferson Davis and his Mississippi volunteers who 
charged the enemy and turned the tide of battle toward 
victory. 

In the Senate and in the Cabinet. — Soon after Davis 
came back from the war he was made a United States 
Senator from Mississippi. When he entered the Senate 
Chamber in Washington to take the oath of office, he was 
on crutches for he had not yet recovered from a wound 
received at Buena Vista. As may well be believed, the 
Senators gave him a cordial welcome, for the reports of 
his great bravery had spread over the country. 

Davis served four years in the Senate. Later he was 
appointed Secretary of War in the cabinet of President 


JEFFERSON DAVIS 


317 


Franklin Pierce, and he conducted the affairs of that office 
with great skill. When his term as Secretary of War 
ended, he again became a United States Senator. 

The Leader of the South. — After Calhoun’s death, 
Davis became the leader of the Southern sentiment in the 
Senate. High-minded and courageous, he commanded 
the respect of all. Davis loved the Union. His father 
had fought in the Revolution¬ 
ary War; his brothers had de¬ 
fended the Union in the War of 
1812, and he had bled for it in 
the Mexican War. 

Davis, however, insisted that 
the Union must give every sec¬ 
tion of the country the rights 
guaranteed by the Constitu¬ 
tion. He believed firmly, as 
almost every Southerner did, 
in the right of a state to secede, 
but he did not wish his state 
to secede unless its rights could not otherwise be pro¬ 
tected. Often during the many years of quarreling be¬ 
tween the North and the South, the more hot-headed 
Southerners accused Davis of being too slow because he 
wished, if possible, to avoid secession. 

When Mississippi finally seceded, Davis approved of 
her course because he believed that the time had 
come when her rights could no longer be secured in the 
Union. In his farewell speech in the Senate he ex¬ 
pressed his deep regret that the North and the South 



NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


3i8 

should part, and his wish that the two sections might 
live in peace. 

Davis Desires a Command in the Southern Army. — 

While Jefferson Davis wished for peace he had not much 
hope for it. Many persons in the South thought that 
the Southern States would be al¬ 
lowed to secede peaceably, but 
Davis warned them that war 
would probably follow secession. 

Since he believed that war 
would come he hoped to be made 
an officer in the Southern army. 
Great, therefore, was his disap¬ 
pointment when he was elected 
President of the Confederate 
States. But his people had called 
him to a position in which they thought he could best 
serve them, and he accepted the call. 

President of the Confederacy. — Davis, who was in¬ 
augurated at Montgomery, Alabama, then the capital 
of the Confederacy, threw all his talents and energy into 
the work of the new government. The duties of the 
President were mainly those of carrying on the great war 
in which the Confederacy was engaged during the few 
years of its existence. 

The task of Abraham Lincoln in conducting the war 
for the North was hard, but the task of Jefferson Davis 
in conducting the war for the South was very much harder. 
The North had a population four times as large as the 
South from which to draw armies. The Union had plenty 






JEFFERSON DAVIS 


319 


of money to buy arms, food, and clothing for its soldiers, 
while the Confederacy had little. The Union had a navy; 
the Confederacy had none. 

It was a constant struggle for President Davis to raise 
supplies for the Confederate armies. Try as he might, 
the armies were never properly equipped at any time dur¬ 
ing the war. 

As the overwhelming Union forces, pressing back the 
Confederate armies, seized more and more Confederate 
territory, and as the outlook for the Southern cause grew 
darker and darker, Jefferson Davis faced every new re¬ 
verse, every new danger, with fortitude. Up to the very 
last his faith in the justness of his cause made him hope 
that the Confederacy would succeed. 

Davis in Prison. — At the close of the war Davis was 
captured and sent to Fortress Monroe, where he was held a 
prisoner on the charge of treason. Knowing that nothing 
he had done made him guilty of treason, Davis repeatedly 
asked for a trial. After he had been kept in prison for 
two years he was released without a trial. All through 
the South the people rejoiced at the release of Jefferson 
Davis for they felt that he had been made to suffer for 
them. 

The Last Days of Davis. —Davis returned to his home 
in Mississippi, there to live a quiet life for the remain¬ 
der of his days. He survived the war many years, 
dying December 6, 1889. 

Truly has it been said of Jefferson Davis, “ His heart 
was as tender as a woman’s; he was as brave as a lion, 
and true as the needle to the pole to his convictions j 


320 


NORTH AND SOUTH DRIFT APART 


in disposition generous, in character courteous and 
chivalries 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. Who were the Great Triumvirate? 2. What is “nullification”? 
How did New England regard it at first ? How afterwards ? 3. What 

did the South think about nullification ? 4. Tell the story of the 

trouble between South Carolina and the United States government. 
5. What is meant by “secession”? 6. How did the whole country 
feel about secession when the Constitution was adopted? 7. Which 
section changed its views? 8. Tell about the discussions over slavery. 

9. Describe the places in our history that Webster, Clay, and Calhoun 
occupy. 

10. Who was elected President of the United States in i860? 

11. How did the country divide in voting when Lincoln was elected? 

12. What seven states seceded from the Union because he was elected? 

13. Who was elected President of the Confederate States? 14. What 
did the secession of the seven states bring on? 15. What four other 
states seceded? 16. How long did the war last? What was the 
result of it? 17. Did the North ever believe in the right of a state 
to secede? When? 

18. Tell of the boyhood of Lincoln. 19. How did he get his educa¬ 
tion? What occupations did he follow ? 20. How did he come to be 

called “Honest Abe”? 21. After he became a lawyer and went to 
Congress, what cause did he take up with all his heart? 22. What 
can be said of Lincoln as President ? 23. What proclamation did he 

issue? 24. Describe the death of Lincoln. Tell why Lincoln was a 
great man. 

25. Describe the boyhood of Jefferson Davis. 26. What did Davis 
do before he became a planter in Mississippi? 27. What part did he 
play in the battle of Buena Vista ? 28. What high office was he given 

by President Pierce ? 29. Tell how he defended the rights of the South 

in the Senate. 30. Why was he willing that Mississippi should secede ? 

31. How was the struggle between the North and the South unequal? 

32. What kind of man was Jefferson Davis? 


CHAPTER XXIV 
THE WAR OF SECESSION 

Early Events or the Contest 



Fort Sumter 


Fall of Fort Sumter. — When the Confederate States 
of America was formed, the new government took pos¬ 
session of only the forts, within its territory, that it 
could secure peaceably, because the Southerners hoped 
that their states might withdraw 
from the Union without war. 

Fort Sumter, in Charleston 
harbor, was held by a small 
Federal (Northern) garrison. 

This fort the United States 
refused to give up. Still peace 
was kept until President Lincoln tried to reenforce the 
fort. Then General P. G. T. Beauregard, commanding 
the Confederate forces in Charleston harbor, demanded 
that the fort be surrendered. The demand was refused, 
and a severe bombardment followed, which forced the 
little garrison to surrender, April 13, 1861. 

The fall of Fort Sumter made the country realize that 
the war had begun. President Lincoln and President 
Davis called for volunteers, and each side made ready 
for the conflict. 


321 


322 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


First Manassas.—The first great battle of the war 
was fought in Virginia in July, 1861. The Confederates, 
under Generals Joseph E. Johnston and Beauregard, 
routed at Manassas and drove back to Washington a 
Federal army that had invaded Virginia for the purpose 
of capturing Richmond, which, upon the secession of 
Virginia, had been made the capital of the Confederacy. 

The Federals Close to Richmond. — The South was 
elated over the victory, but the North, though dismayed 
at first, had no idea of giving up the contest. A large 
and well-equipped Federal army was put under the 
command of General George B. McClellan. In the 
spring of 1862, McClellan landed his army on the south¬ 
eastern coast of Virginia and marched so close to Rich¬ 
mond that his soldiers could see the church steeples of 
the city. In an attempt of the much smaller Confederate 
army to prevent further advance of the Federals, its 
commander, General Joseph E. Johnston, was wounded. 
Then General Robert E. Lee was placed in command of 
the Confederate army. 

Robert E. Lee, the Leading General of 
the South 

Early Life of Lee. — Robert Edward Lee was born in 
Westmoreland County, Virginia, January 19, 1807. 

His father was Henry Lee, a dashing cavalry officer in 
the Revolutionary War, who was commonly called 
“ Light Horse Harry.” Through his mother he was 
descended from Robert Bruce, the Scottish king and hero. 

The heroic spirit of his forefathers early showed itself 


ROBERT E. LEE 


323 


in young Lee, for he was a strong, manly, fearless boy. 
He wanted to become a soldier — such a soldier as his 
father had been; so an appointment to the Military 
Academy at West Point was secured for him. Robert 
Lee was an exceedingly handsome young man and was 
noted at the academy for grace of manner and elegance 
of dress, as well as for his 
talents. He was graduated 
high in his class, and during 
his four years at the academy 
he did not receive a single 
demerit. 

Lee in the Mexican War. — 

Lee had been in the army 
eighteen years when the Mex¬ 
ican War began. He served 
in that war under Winfield 
Scott as captain of engineers, Robert e. Lee 

and did such splendid work 

that General Scott said his own success in Mexico was 
«largely due to the skill, valor, and undaunted energy of 
Robert E. Lee. ,, 

Lee came out of the Mexican War with the highest 
reputation as a soldier. His promotion in the army 
continued until he became a colonel. 

Lee Offered Command of the Federal Army. Upon 
the breaking out of the war between the North and the 
South, Lincoln wished Lee to command the Federal 
Army. But where Lee saw his duty he went. Believing 
that he owed his allegiance to Virginia, his native state, 



324 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


he resigned from the United States army, and was soon 
made a general in the Confederate army. 

The Federals Driven from before Richmond. — When 
Lee succeeded Joseph E. Johnston in command of the 
Southern army facing the Federals under McClellan 
just outside of Richmond, he at once began a vigorous 
campaign, striking the Federal army quick and heavy 
blows. For seven days battle followed battle, each 
engagement forcing McClellan further back until he was 
driven away from Richmond. 

Then turning quickly, Lee advanced against another 
Federal army, which, under the command of General John 
Pope, was marching toward Richmond from the direction 
of Washington. He fell upon this new force, on the old 
battle field of Manassas, and drove it back to Washington. 

Invasion of Maryland. — Now that Lee had foiled 
both attempts of the Federals to capture Richmond, he 
decided to try to relieve the South by carrying the war 
into the North. True, his army was much weakened by 
losses in battle and by sickness. Food was scarce, and the 
men were in rags and many were without shoes. Still, 
the spirit of the army was high. Lee was willing to lead, 
and where Lee led, his men were willing to follow. 

In September, 1862, the Confederates crossed the 
Potomac into Maryland. At Sharpsburg on Antietam 
Creek, a severe battle was fought. It was a drawn 
battle, neither side driving the other from the field. As 
McClellan, who still commanded the Federals, was 
getting reenforcements and Lee could get none, Lee 
retreated into Virginia. Because Lee had been unable 


ROBERT E. LEE 


325 


to carry the war into the North, the effect of the battle 
was to give the Northern people much encouragement. 
The Confederates were disappointed, but not disheartened. 



Map of Campaigns in Virginia 


Two More Victories for Lee. — The Federal army 
followed the Confederates into Virginia. In December, 
1862, the Federals, now under command of General 











326 THE WAR OF SECESSION 

A. E. Burnside, attacked Lee, who held a strong position 
on the heights of Fredericksburg. Six times the brave 
Federal soldiers charged up the hills, but every time they 
were driven back with fearful slaughter. 

Again, in May, 1863, the Federal army under another 
commander, General Joseph Hooker, advanced against 
Lee. - The armies met at Chancellorsville, where a battle 
raged for two days, with the 
result that the Federals were 
forced to retreat. 

Death of “ Stonewall ” Jack- 
son. — Chancellorsville was 
one of the greatest of Lee’s 
victories, but the success to 
the South was overshadowed 
by the loss of the Confederate 
general T. J. Jackson, famil¬ 
iarly called “ Stonewall ” Jack- 
son, who was killed by his 
own men through mistake. 
Jackson was the ablest of Lee’s officers; indeed he was 
one of the ablest officers on either side. He was called 
“ Stonewall ” because it was said that he stood in battle 
like a stonewall. 

Gettysburg. — Though Lee could win battles, his 
army was always too small to follow up and crush the 
defeated Federals. On the other hand, when the Federal 
army lost many men in battle its ranks were quickly 
filled again. Therefore, Lee decided once more to try 
to relieve the South by invading the North. 



“ Stonewall ” Jackson 


ROBERT E. LEE 


327 


Shortly after the battle of Chancellorsville,Lee marched 
his army northward across Maryland into Pennsylvania, 
The Federal army followed under still another commander, 
General George G. Meade. A battle occurred at Gettys¬ 
burg, Pennsylvania — the most terrific battle ever fought 
on the American continent. It lasted three days, July 
1,2, and 3, 1863. The Federals were so strongly posted 
on a ridge known as Cemetery Hill that all the assaults of 
the Confederates could not drive them away. 



The Gettysburg National Military Park 
Looking southwest over the fields across which Pickett charged 


On the third day a small body of Confederates made 
one of the most brilliant charges known to history. It 
is called “ Pickett’s Charge ” because it was led by Gen¬ 
eral George E. Pickett. Up the side of Cemetery Hill, 
in the face of a withering fire of cannon and musketry, 
the men in gray advanced with fearless step. The killed 
and wounded fell fast; the others closing the gaps in 
their ranks, pressed on. But the storm of shot was too 
great. Only a few reached the Federal lines, where they 



328 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


planted the Confederate flag — they were too few and 
they were driven down the hill again. There was now 
nothing left for Lee to do but to return to Virginia. 
On the second night after the battle his army began 
its retreat. 

When Lee invaded the North for the second time, the 
Confederacy had reached its high tide of success. After 
Gettysburg its fortunes began to wane. 

The Nobility of Lee. — Lee’s nobility of character 
was never better shown than at Gettysburg. The credit 
for his victories he had always been quick to give to 
others; the blame for the reverse at Gettysburg he was 
just as quick to take upon himself. “ It is all my fault,” 
he said. But history shows that the battle of Gettys¬ 
burg was not lost through the fault of Lee. 

Ulysses S. Grant, the Leading General 
or the North 

In the West. — While Lee was winning renown as 
a soldier in the East, a Federal general, Ulysses S. Grant, 
was becoming famous through his victories in the West. 

Early Life of Grant. — Ulysses S. Grant was born in 
a village in Ohio, April 27, 1822. His father, who was 
a tanner, was not well off; yet, wishing to educate his 
children, he sent young Ulysses to school regularly. The 
boy was very modest and retiring. He seldom had much 
to say and seldom played with other boys. When not 
at school Ulysses helped his father. As he did not like 
the tanning business, he worked on a farm that his father 
owned. His father could not afford to pay the boy’s 


ULYSSES S. GRANT 


329 


way through college, and he secured for Ulysses an 
appointment to West Point. Young Grant did not care 
for military life, and was not enthusiastic about going to 
West Point, but he went because his father wished him 
to do so. He was noted at 
West Point as the best rider 
in the academy. 

Grant in the Mexican War. 

— Grant served in the Mex¬ 
ican War under both Taylor 
and Scott, taking part in 
every battle except that at 
Buena Vista. His superior 
officers often praised his cour¬ 
age . He performed his acts of 
bravery as he did everything 
else, in a quiet unassuming way. 

Grant Resigns from the Army. — After staying in the 
army eleven years, and reaching the rank of captain, 
Grant resigned. As he was about to leave the army he 
remarked to one of the officers of his regiment, “ Who¬ 
ever hears of me in ten years will hear of a well-to-do 
Western farmer.” Fate had in store quite a different 
career for this modest man. In ten years’ time he was 
known the world over as a great commander. 

Grant went to live near St. Louis on a farm that be¬ 
longed to his wife. For a while he tilled the soil and 
sold firewood in the city, but he did not make a success 
of farming. 

Grant not Appreciated at First. — When the War of 



Ulysses S. Grant 


330 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


Secession broke out, Grant was a clerk in a village store 
in Illinois. Believing that his experience in the army 
had fitted him to command a regiment, he tried to get 
an appointment as colonel, and for some time without 
success. At first no one seemed to think that the quiet 
clerk could be fitted to command men; but finally the 
governor of Illinois decided to appoint him colonel of a 
regiment. 

Even after Grant went to the war his superior officers 
were slow to place much confidence in him. He suggested 
plans for conducting the war, and at first little attention 
was paid to them. His plans were later accepted and 
by following them the campaign in the West was fought 
and won for the Federals. 

Donelson and Shiloh. — Grant’s first victory was the 
capture, in February, 1862, of Fort Donelson, a Confed¬ 
erate stronghold in Tennessee. The fall of Fort Donelson 
compelled the Confederate army of the West to with¬ 
draw from Kentucky and give up a large part of Ten¬ 
nessee. Grant, who as a young man did not like military 
life, was beginning to show that he was a born soldier. 

He was not the man to stop at one victory. After the 
capture of Fort Donelson, he pushed further into Ten¬ 
nessee. The Confederate army, under Albert Sidney 
Johnston, a most skillful general, came near defeating 
him in a battle fought near a country church, called 
Shiloh. The death of Johnston, and the arrival of 
reenforcements for Grant, turned the tide. On the next 
day, when the battle was renewed, the Confederates were 
so outnumbered that they were forced to retreat. 


ULYSSES S. GRANT 


331 


Vicksburg. — It was very important for the Federals 
to get control of the Mississippi River. The Con¬ 
federates, holding Vicksburg, a strongly fortified town on 
the river, prevented them from doing so. Grant laid 
siege to Vicksburg. For nearly two months the Con¬ 



federates within the town withstood the siege. When 
their food gave out, they lived on rats and mule flesh. 
Finally, on July 4, 1863, they were compelled to sur¬ 
render. 

The fall of Vicksburg was a severe blow to the Con¬ 
federacy. With the Federals controlling the Mississippi 
River, troops and supplies could no longer be sent from 


















332 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


points west of the Mississippi to the Confederate armies 
east of the river. The victory at Vicksburg, coming just 
a day after the success at Gettysburg, filled the North 
with unbounded joy. 

Chattanooga. — Soon the North was to have another 
cause for joy. A Federal army had been driven into 
Chattanooga and there besieged by a Confederate force. 
Grant was sent to Chattanooga to relieve the Federals 
in their perilous situation. Though the Confederates 
held a strong position on mountains just outside the city, 
Grant ordered his army to give them battle. Up the 
steep sides of the mountain the Federal soldiers clambered 
despite the volleys of shot poured upon them, and 
drove the Confederates into Georgia. Thus the year 
1863 brought disasters to the Confederacy, yet the South¬ 
ern people were not willing to give up the struggle as long 
as there was a chance of winning. 

Grant and Lee Grapple 

Grant Commander-in-Chief. — Everybody now rec¬ 
ognized that Grant was the ablest general on the Fed¬ 
eral side, and early in 1864 he was made commander 
of all the Federal armies. Grant took charge of the 
army in Virginia, and placed General William T. Sherman 
in command of the army in Chattanooga, with instruc¬ 
tions to push into the heart of the Confederacy. Sher¬ 
man captured Atlanta and then marched through 
Georgia and the Carolinas, laying waste the country. 

Condition of the Armies. — The Federal army in 
Virginia, when Grant took charge of it, was the largest 


GRANT AND LEE GRAPPLE 


333 


and best equipped army that had ever been assembled 
in America, while Lee’s forces, only half as large, were 
lacking in everything except dauntless courage. Grant 
realized that to bring the war to a close he must do more 
than defeat Lee’s army — he must crush it. Since he 
could get men to take the place of those lost in battle, 
and Lee could not, he planned to destroy Lee’s army by 
a series of rapid attacks. 



A View of Richmond 
From an old print 


Grant’s Hammering Process. — The fighting began 
early in May, 1864. For a month battles and skirmishes 
followed one another in quick succession. The battles 
in the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania, and at Cold Harbor, 
cost the lives of thousands of brave men on both sides. 
The losses of the Federals were very heavy. In one 
month Grant lost almost as many men as Lee had in his 
whole army when the campaign began. As his ranks 





334 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


were rapidly filled up, he knew that he would in the end 
wear away Lee’s strength. 

Grant’s purpose had been to pass around Lee’s army 
and get between it and Richmond. He failed, for every 
time he shifted his position he found Lee blocking the 
way; and with all his hammering he could not break 
through the Confederate lines. 

Capture of Richmond. — Grant next tried to capture 
Petersburg, a town about twenty miles south of Rich¬ 
mond guarding the Confederate capital from that side. 
Through the rest of the summer and through the whole 
winter the siege of Petersburg continued, Grant con¬ 
stantly extending his large army in the hope of over¬ 
lapping Lee’s forces. To meet this movement, Lee had 
to stretch his little army to such length that at no time 
could every point be strongly guarded. Still, every 
attempt of Grant to pass around or break through the 
Confederate lines was thwarted. 

During the winter the Confederate soldiers suffered 
intensely as, poorly clad and more poorly fed, they lay 
in the trenches exposed to rain, sleet, and snow. The 
limit to human endurance was at last reached. By the 
spring of 1865 the Confederate line had become so thin 
that Grant broke through with a mass of troops. Lee 
was compelled to give up Petersburg and retreat; and 
Richmond, the city that he had so long defended, was 
taken. 

Surrender of Lee. — The Federals closely pursued Lee’s 
worn, hungry remnant of an army, and at Appomattox 
Courthouse, in Virginia, threw an overwhelming force 


GRANT AND LEE GRAPPLE 


335 


across its path. Lee realized that further fighting would 
be only a useless shedding of blood, and surrendered 
April 9, 1865. 

“Heroes and Great Hearts.”— When Lee returned 
from the meeting with Grant where the terms of sur¬ 
render had been arranged his devoted soldiers crowded 
about him. Tears filled the eyes of the 
great warrior, and his men, battle-scarred 
and powder-stained, wept as they pressed 
his hand. 

“ Men,” he said, “ we have fought 
through the war together; I have done 
the best for you; my heart is too full to 
say more.” 

As Lee was great in his defeat, so was 
Grant great in his hour of triumph. 

Grant would not allow his men to cele¬ 
brate the victory because he did not wish 
to hurt the feelings of the brave but Confederate Sol- 
vanquished Confederates; and when he DIER IN Uniform 
learned that the Confederate soldiers had been living 
for days on parched corn, he fed them from the supplies 
of his own army. 

End of the War. — The surrender of Lee was followed 
by the surrender of the other Confederate forces, and the 
War of Secession was at an end. 

Later Years of Lee. — After his surrender General 
Lee retired to private life and was soon made president 
of Washington College (now Washington and Lee Uni¬ 
versity) in Virginia. By his practice and by his teaching 




33 $ 


THE WAR OF SECESSION 


he set a standard for the Southern people to follow in 
their time of defeat. He accepted uncomplainingly the 
verdict of the war, and strove with all his power to restore 
good feeling between the North and the South. On 
October 12, 1870, Lee died. The whole South mourned 
the loss of their leader — a soldier with a fearless heart, 
a man with a noble soul. The world to-day acknowl¬ 
edges him to be one of the greatest of commanders and 
one of the best of men. 

Later Years of Grant. — A grateful people elected 
Grant President of the United States. He served two 
terms, from 1869 to 1877. Of Grant’s many lofty traits 
of character, the greatest were his strict honesty, his 
love of country, and his generosity to friend and foe alike. 
For these virtues he was much beloved, and for his 
magnificent services in the war his memory is honored. 
Grant died July 23, 1885. It pleased him that he had 
been permitted to live long enough to see the North and 
the South coming together again in bonds of friendship. 
His wish that all bitter feeling caused by the war might 
pass away, he expressed in words which have become 
memorable: “ Let us have peace.” 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Why did not the seceding states seize all the forts within their 
borders? 2. Describe the first event of the war. 3. Describe the 
first battle of Manassas. 4. What attempt was next made to capture 
Richmond? 5. Who succeeded General Joseph E. Johnston in com¬ 
mand of the Confederate army in Virginia? 

6. What kind of boy was Robert Lee? 7. Where was he educated; 

and what was the first war in which he distinguished himself ? 8. What 
high office in the Federal army was offered Lee ? 9. Tell how Lee drove 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


33? 


McClellan and Pope away from Richmond. io. How did'Lee, in 
1862, seek to relieve the South? With what success? n. Describe 
the battle of Fredericksburg; of Chancellorsville. 12. What loss 
did the Confederacy sustain at Chancellorsville? 13. Why did Lee 
invade Pennsylvania? 14. Describe the battle of Gettysburg. 

15. Describe the boyhood and youth of Grant. 16. Where was he 
educated? What kind of soldier did he make in the Mexican War? 
17. Tell about his life between the Mexican War and the breaking out 
of the War of Secession. 18. What was Grant’s first victory? 

19. Describe the battle of Shiloh; the siege of Vicksburg. 20. What 
other battle did Grant win in the West before going to Virginia ? 

21. Who was made commander-in-chief of the Federal armies? 
22. Describe the condition of the Federal army in Virginia when Grant 
took command of it. What was the condition of the Confederate army 
at that time? 23. What were Grant’s plans? 24. What battles 
between Grant and Lee followed one another in quick succession? 

25. Describe the siege of Petersburg and the capture of Richmond. 

26. Why were the Confederates finally overpowered ? 27. When and 

where did Lee surrender? 28. What did he say to his men? 
29. How did Grant treat Lee and his men? 30. What is said of 
General Lee’s after life and his character? 31. Describe the character 
and after life of General Grant. 


CHAPTER XXV 

AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 

Rapid Growth op the United States 

Population and Production. — Beginning in the latter 
half of the last century, all the civilized world has made 
wonderful growth in industry. No country has grown 
faster than the United States. The population of the 
United States increased from thirty-one million in i860, 
to one hundred and five million in 1920. 

The United States has more factories than any other 
country. It stands first in the production of wheat, corn, 
oats, cotton, and tobacco. It raises more horses, cattle, 
and hogs than any other country, and produces more coal 
iron, silver, copper, and petroleum. 

How Improved Machinery Has Helped Industry. — 
That so much progress has been made the world over is 
due mainly to the widespread use of improved machinery. 
Formerly machines were made of iron. In 1856 Henry 
Bessemer, an Englishman, discovered a cheap way of 
converting iron into steel. As steel is stronger and more 
durable than iron, better machines can be made of it. 
When it was found that steel could be so easily produced, 
men turned more than ever to inventing machines. More 
inventions have been made since Bessemer’s discovery 
than were made in all the thousands of years before. 

338 


RAPID GROWTH OF THE UNITED STATES 


339 


The manufacturer now uses machinery to make every¬ 
thing that comes out of the factory, from the powerful 
locomotive to the tiny needles and pins. The farmer 
uses machinery in planting and gathering most of his 
crops, and the miner uses it in digging the metals and 
the minerals from the ground and loading them upon 
the cars. Machinery is used in constructing buildings 
and roads, and is of assistance in science and even in 

id* 


medicine. Indeed, machines are now used for so many 
purposes that it is impossible to estimate how much time 
and labor they save. 

Electricity and Gasoline. — Industrial progress has 
been greatly aided by the uses to which we have learned 
to put electricity and gasoline. We make electricity 
give light and carry sound, and we make it serve as a fuel 
and as a power for running engines. 

Gasoline also is used for light, fuel, and power. Since 
engines driven by gasoline are lighter than those driven 





340 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


by steam we use them for many purposes for which 
steam-engines would not be practicable. The gasoline 
engine is better for running aeroplanes, automobiles, and 
farm machinery. Petroleum, from which gasoline is 
obtained, is found beneath the soil in different parts of the 
world. It is found in large quantities in the middle- 
western and the south-western parts of the United 
States. 


The North and the Middle West 

The Growth of Factories. — Before i860 factories were 
located mainly in the North and East, but since that year 
many have been built in the Middle West. To-day, the 
region north of the Potomac and Ohio rivers and east 
of the Mississippi River contains by far the greater num¬ 
ber of all the factories in the United States. In this 
section the towns that have grown up around the fac¬ 
tories are often so close together that a person in travel¬ 
ing through them hardly realizes that he is passing from 
one town to another. 

Coal, Iron, and Steel. — More coal is found in the 
states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Illinois, 
and more iron is found in the mountain ranges near Take 
Superior, than elsewhere in the United States. Because 
of this Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago are the leading 
centers of the steel industry. 

Agriculture in the North and the Middle West. — It 
should not be forgotten, however, that although manu¬ 
facturing and mining form so large a part of the industrial 
life in this section, agriculture is still an important in- 


PEOPLING THE FAR WEST 


341 


dustry, especially in the western parts of New York and 
Pennsylvania and in the Middle West. 

Population and Wealth.—Because the region north 
of the Potomac and Ohio rivers and east of the Missis¬ 
sippi River has made such great industrial progress, it 
contains the densest population and the most wealth. 

Peopling the Far West 

Seeking Gold and Silver. — After the discovery of 
gold in California in 1849, many thousands of persons 
rushed to the Pacific coast. A few years later gold was 
discovered in what is now Colorado and silver in what 
is now Nevada. Then followed a rush of emigrants to 
the Rocky Mountain region. 

Building Railroads to the Pacific. — The vast stretch 
of country between the Mississippi Valley and the Rocky 
Mountains was still uninhabited by white men. It had 
been passed over unnoticed by the eager seekers for gold 
and silver. It was considered of no value and most of 
the soil was thought to be so poor that it was called on 
the maps the “ Great American Desert.” 

No railroad extended further westward than the Mis¬ 
sissippi Valley. From the westernmost railroad station 
to the Pacific coast was nearly two thousand miles. Over 
this great distance stage-coaches carried passengers and 
mail. The stage-coaches were slow, and for years the 
people who had gone to the Rocky Mountain and Pacific 
coast regions had clamored for a railroad that would 
give them quicker communication with the rest of the 
country. 


342 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


Since it would be very costly to build a railroad nearly 
two thousand miles long, the United States government 
finally consented to aid in its construction. Congress 
gave to two companies, formed for the purpose of building 
the road, large sums of money and great tracts of land 
lying along the proposed route. By selling much of the 
land the companies secured more money. 



The Principal Railroads West of the Mississippi in 1884 


Building a railroad to the Pacific coast was an immense 
task, yet three years after work was begun the road was 
completed (1869). Thus was the continent at last 
spanned by rails. 

Later other railroads to the Pacific coast were built 
with the aid of the United States government. 

The Ranchman and the Farmer Go West. — The 
Pacific railroads carried many more people to the Far 
West. First went the ranchmen who made immense 












PEOPLING THE FAR WEST 


343 


fortunes by raising cattle and sheep on the unoccupied 
government lands. 

Then farmers of the East, learning that the lands of 
the Far West are not as infertile as had been thought, 
sought that distant region. They secured tracts of land 
from the United States government for almost nothing, 
as the government sought to attract settlers. Gradually 
these farmers crowded out the ranchmen. 

The farmers of the Far West are now raising most of 
our cattle and sheep and most of our wheat. California 
is the greatest fruit-growing state of the Union. 

The Immense Size of Western Farms. — Many of the 
farms of the Far West upon which wheat is grown contain 
thousands upon thousands of acres. It is possible to 
cultivate these immense farms with few laborers because 
both the planting and the gathering of the crop are done 
by machinery. 

On account of the large farms much of the Far West 
is thinly settled. At points that are centers of trade, 
however, flourishing cities have sprung up. 

How Dry Lands Are Fitted for Agriculture.—In some 
parts of the Far West the land becomes very dry because 
there is little rain. To remedy this the United States 
government has spent large sums in building huge dams 
across rivers and lakes to retain the water in great reser¬ 
voirs. From these reservoirs canals carry the water over 
the land. The farmer of the Far West is thus more for¬ 
tunate than the farmer further east who depends on 
rainfall, for the western farmer may have his land dry 
or moist as he pleases. 


344 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


Building a “New South” 

The South Prostrate after the War. — The South was 
left in a deplorable condition by the War of Secession. 
Her plantations were laid waste and her slave labor was 
gone; her railroads were torn up and many of her cities 
and towns were burned. Numbers of her people who had 
formerly been well-to-do were reduced to direst poverty. 

Reconstruction. — An unwise policy pursued toward 
the South by Congress, after the war, added to her 
troubles. The plan for bringing the seceded states back 
to their former place in the Union was called “ Recon¬ 
struction ” of the South. In formulating this plan 
Congress passed a law that gave to the negro men of the 
South the right to vote and at the same time prevented 
many white men who had served the Confederacy from 
voting. The result of this law was to turn over to the 
negroes the state governments of the South. 

“ Carpet-bag ” Governments. — As the negroes were 
ignorant and only recently freed from slavery, they did 
not know how to govern. Many dishonest white men 
hurried down from the North and became their leaders. 
As a rule, these men were worth so little in their homes 
in the North that, it was said, they brought South with 
them all they owned in carpet-bags — a kind of valise 
used in those days. Hence they were all called “ carpet¬ 
baggers ” by the white people of the South. 

The “ carpet-baggers ” and negroes levied very heavy 
taxes upon the white people already made poor by the 
war. Yet the state governments became deeply in debt, 


BUILDING A “NEW SOUTH 


345 


for when the money raised by the high taxes reached the 
public treasury the officials stole it. Many an unfortunate 
Southerner had to give up his land and other property 
because he could not pay the high taxes. 

Prosperity Returns to the South. — Gradually, how¬ 
ever, as the white men of the South had the right to 
vote given back to them they regained control of their 
state governments. By 1877 
every Southern State had 
thrown off the “carpet-bag” 
and negro rule. 

With the white people 
once more in control the 
South immediately began 
to prosper. The industrial 
progress that had already 
come to other sections of 
the country now came to the 
South. 

Changed Conditions in Agriculture. — As a result of 
the War of Secession, the agricultural conditions in the 
South have changed very much. With slavery abolished 
it is impossible for Southerners to secure sufficient labor 
to cultivate their large plantations; consequently, they 
rent much of their lands to the poorer whites and negroes. 
In many cases these tenants have become landowners 
by buying the land they rented. 

The doing away with slave labor has also brought about 
a change in the crops raised in the South. Before the 
War of Secession the Southerners had planted, in addi- 



Carpet-Baggers 

Permission of Dr. Walter L. Fleming. 


34 ^ 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


tion to cotton, considerable tobacco, rice, and sugar cane. 
Since the war they have very greatly increased the crops 
of tobacco, rice, and sugar cane, besides planting much 
corn and wheat, fruits and vegetables. The South still 
produces most of the cotton of the world. 

Other Industries of the South. — In the Carolinas 
where water power is abundant for generating electricity 
to run machinery, many factories have been built for 
weaving cotton into cloth. Virginia, Kentucky, Ten¬ 
nessee, and Alabama produce much coal. Alabama is 
rich in iron. Birmingham, Alabama, has become a cen¬ 
ter for the iron and steel industry. Formerly all the petro¬ 
leum produced in this country was obtained from the 
Middle West, but in recent years large quantities of this 
oil have been found in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. 

The “ New South.” — Indeed, so great has been the 
change in industrial conditions in the South that the 
section is now spoken of as the “ New South ” to dis¬ 
tinguish it from the South as it was before the War of 
Secession. 

Thomas A. Edison, “The American Magician ” 

Our Country Leads in Inventions. — We have already 
learned that the people of the United States have shown 
a more wonderful genius for invention than those of any 
other country. It will be interesting to learn about 
some of our recent inventors. Among these inventors 
Thomas A. Edison stands first. 

Edison’s Boyhood. — Thomas Alva Edison was bom 
in 1847 in a small town in Ohio, and is the son of a very 


THOMAS A, EDISON 


347 


poor man who did whatever work he could get in the 
village or on neighboring farms. Edison went to school 
only two months in his life, but he learned a good deal 
from his mother, who had a good education. Even as 
a child he was very fond of books, and from early 
boyhood he showed a liking for chemistry. 

Edison as a Newsboy. — When he was twelve years 
old, Edison secured a position as newsboy on a railroad 
in Michigan. Since his wages were small, he undertook 
to print and sell a newspaper of his own, and for this 
purpose he secured from a newspaper office a lot of old, 
worn type. As the road upon which he was working was 
the Grand Trunk Railway, he called his paper The Grand 
Trunk Herald. It contained only news of the movement 
of trains and personal items about the employees of the 
road. Yet the paper was eagerly bought every week by 
railroad men, because it pleased them to see in print 
news about themselves, their friends, and their road. 

Studying Chemistry. — Though he was kept busy 
selling papers, magazines, and fruit to passengers, and 
printing The Herald , Edison did not give up the study 
of chemistry. In a corner of a baggage car he fitted up 
a little laboratory where he made experiments. On one 
occasion a bottle containing a chemical was spilled and 
the car was set ablaze. The baggage master was so angry 
when he learned the cause of the fire that he threw out 
of the car all the materials that Edison had been at 
such pains to collect, and gave the boy a sound beating. 

Becomes an Expert Telegraph Operator. — While a 
newsboy Edison saw what great service the telegraph is 


348 AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 

in the running of trains, and he became ambitious to 
learn telegraphy. But he was too poor to stop his work 
to take up a regular course of study. At last good for¬ 
tune came to him as a reward for an act of bravery. 
One day, at the risk of his own life, Edison snatched a 
little child from the railroad track just in time to save 
it from being crushed under the wheels of a train. The 
father of the child was a telegraph operator and, wishing 
to reward the boy for his heroism, offered to teach him 
telegraphy. Edison gladly accepted the offer. 

For three years, while continuing his other work, 
Edison studied telegraphy, and at eighteen years of age 
he was given his first position as telegraph operator. In a 
short time he became one of the most expert operators 
in the country. 

Edison’s First Inventions. — Edison invented several 
devices for the improvement of the telegraph system, 
and these soon brought him enough money to enable him 
to give up the position of operator and devote his whole 
time to inventing. 

Edison’s Best Known Inventions. — Edison’s experi¬ 
ments have been mainly in electricity. The best known 
of his inventions are the incandescent electric light, 
the phonograph, and the kinetoscope. The incandescent 
electric light was invented in 1880 and is probably Edi¬ 
son’s greatest gift to the world. The phonograph repro¬ 
duces human speech; and the kinetoscope, by a process 
of rapid photographing, makes motion pictures. 

The Secret of Edison’s Success. — It has been well 
said that the secret of Edison’s success is “ persistency, 


THOMAS A. EDISON 


349 



Thomas A. Edison in His Library 

come out until he had discovered the trouble. For two 
days and a half he stayed in the shop, and when he 
reappeared he had not only found the trouble, but had 
remedied it. During all that time his only food was 
crackers and cheese, which he ate while working at his 
bench. 

The Genius of the Great Inventor. — Edison is the 
greatest inventor of the age. From the United States 
government alone he has secured more than seven hundred 


more persistency, still more persistency,” for he is a tireless 
worker. On one occasion some flaw in one of his in¬ 
ventions kept it from working satisfactorily, so Edison 
locked himself in his shop, declaring that he would not 










35 ° 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


patents. On account of the number of his inventions^ 
Edison is often called, “ The American Magician.” 

Alexander Graham Bell and the Telephone 

Early Life of Bell. — Alexander Graham Bell was bora 
in the same year as Edison. He is not a native of America, 



however, but of Scotland. He came to this country when 
he was twenty-four years old and settled in Boston. 
Bell devoted most of his early life to teaching deaf 
mutes. 

How Bell Came to Invent the Telephone. — While 

experimenting with electricity in the hope of finding a 
way to relieve the unfortunate condition of deaf mutes, 
Bell discovered that by means of electricity sound could 























































THE WRIGHT BROTHERS 


351 


be reproduced at the end of a wire. With a cigar box 
and two little magnets, such as children use in playing 
with toy fish, he carried the sound of music along a wire 
from the cellar of his schoolhouse to the fourth floor. 

First Exhibition of the Telephone. — Such was the 
beginning of the telephone. Bell improved his apparatus 
and exhibited it at an exposition held in Philadelphia in 
1876. Though the invention was yet very imperfect, it 
was even then recognized as one that could become of 
great benefit to mankind. 

The Telephone as It Is To-day. — The telephone has 
since been so improved that persons can now talk through 
;t to each other when thousands of miles apart. 

The Wright Brothers Invent the Aeroplane 

The Balloon Called the Dirigible. — For hundreds of 
years we have had the balloon, a bag which, when 
filled with gas or hot air, flies through the air. The bal¬ 
loon, when large enough, carries passengers in a basket 
suspended from it. The balloon, however, could go 
only in the direction in which the wind was blowing. 
It was therefore of little use. Toward the end of the 
last century, a propeller driven by a small engine was 
attached to the balloon and by this means it could be 
guided in any direction. A balloon that may be guided 
thus is called a “ dirigible,” meaning “ may be directed or 
steered.” 

The Dirigible Not Fast Enough. — The dirigible moves 
through the air very fast, even faster than the steamboat 
plies the ocean, but people were not satisfied. They 


352 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


wished a machine that would fly faster — fly through 
the air like a bird. 

Wilbur and Orville Wright. — Many experiments to 
make such a machine failed. The feat was at last ac¬ 
complished by the brothers, Wilbur and Orville Wright. 

Wilbur Wright was born in Indiana in 1867 and Orville 
in Ohio in 1871. From boyhood both had been fond of 
mechanics and later became much interested in the prob¬ 
lem of air navigation. While conducting a bicycle shop 
in Dayton, Ohio, the brothers experimented on a flying 
machine until they invented the aeroplane. 

The Invention of the Aeroplane. — The aeroplane is a 
machine that is heavier than air and is forced through 
the air by a propeller driven by an engine. Some ma¬ 
chines have across the body one plane; others have two. 
The planes correspond somewhat to the wings of the bird. 
A machine with one plane is called a monoplane, and a 
machine with two planes is called a biplane. The aero¬ 
plane invented by the Wright brothers is the biplane. 

Successful Tests of the Aeroplane. — When their 
aeroplane was completed the Wright brothers took it to 
Kitty Hawk on the coast of North Carolina in 1903 to 
try it out. In their first attempt to use the machine it 
flew for a mile in a straight line. The test showed that 
the brothers had nearly solved the problem. They con¬ 
tinued to work on the machine until they had adjusted 
its mechanism so that they could guide it as they pleased. 
Then their success was complete. 

The Wright Brothers Honored. — Many honors were 
bestowed upon the Wright brothers both in the United 


THE WRIGHT BROTHERS 


353 


States and Europe on account of their wonderful inven¬ 
tion. Wilbur Wright died in 1912. Orville Wright is 
now living in Dayton, Ohio. 

The Aeroplane in War. — The aeroplane, in the few 
years that have elapsed since the Wrights invented it, 
has been much improved. It now flies at high speed, 
often covering 120 miles per hour. In the great World 
War, about which we shall learn later, the aeroplane 
proved of very great value. It was used by all armies 



to watch the enemy’s movements and to drop bombs upon 
the enemy’s position. 

The Aeroplane in Peace. — The aeroplane promises 
to be of even greater value in peace. Already the United 
States government uses it to some extent for carrying 
mails and individuals use it for pleasure trips. In 1919., 
Captain John Alcock, a British officer, and Lieutenant 
Arthur W. Brown, an American officer, flew in an aero¬ 
plane over the Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland to 
Ireland, in 16 hours and 12 minutes. 






































354 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


John Philip Holland Invents the Submarine 

A School Teacher Becomes an Inventor. — John Philip 
Holland was born in Ireland in 1844. For fifteen years 
he was a school teacher, first in Ireland, and then in the 
United States. The school in which he taught, in this 
country, was located in Paterson, New Jersey. 

While engaged in teaching Holland gave much thought 
to the invention of a submarine, a boat that can be navi¬ 
gated under the surface of the water. Many men before 
him had tried to make such a boat and failed. In 1898, 
after meeting with several failures, Holland built a sub¬ 
marine that was a success. The invention profited him 
nothing, however, for he died in 1914 in poverty. 

Holland’s Invention. — The submarine is a small tube¬ 
shaped vessel. While the boat is submerged, the crew 
breathe air that has been pumped into tanks. They see 
what is going on above the surface of the water by looking 
through a periscope — a tube extending above the water 
and having in it mirrors and lenses. 

Uses of the Submarine.—As yet the submarine has 
been used mainly in warfare. Gliding unseen under the 
water it may sink an enemy’s vessel with a torpedo. We 
shall learn later how the illegal use of the submarine by 
Germany aided in drawing the United States into the 
World War. 

It is believed that the submarine will in the future be of 
much service in times of peace. That it can make long 
voyages was proved in 1916, before the United States 
entered the World War, when a German submarine 


OTHER IMPORTANT INVENTIONS 


35S 


slipped through the British and French fleets blockad¬ 
ing the German coast, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and 
appeared in Baltimore harbor on a friendly visit. 

Other Important Inventions 

Wireless Telegraphy. — Among the most important 
of the foreign inventions of recent years is wireless teleg¬ 
raphy. In 1895 Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian, invented 
an instrument for sending messages by electricity without 
the use of wires. Within two years the instrument was 
so improved that messages were sent across the English 
Channel, and very soon afterward ships at sea began 
using wireless telegraphy. Many persons have been 
saved from death by shipwreck through wireless messages 
bringing them timely aid. 

In 1901 Marconi sent messages by wireless telegraphy 
across the Atlantic Ocean. In 1920 a wireless message 
sent out from Paris went round the world and returned 
to the station in Paris from which it started. 

The Automobile. — Another recent invention of foreign 
origin is the automobile. For a hundred years men in 
various countries of Europe had been experimenting on 
vehicles which would run on the ground with the use of 
steam. These vehicles were commonly called “ horseless 
carriages.” They did not prove successful, yet from 
them grew the automobile. The first automobile that 
was used with success was invented in Europe in 1886. 
The automobile is now run by gasoline or electricity. 


356 


AN ERA OF INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

i. What country has made the greatest industrial progress ? 2. Tell 

of the growth of the population of the United States from i860 to 1920, 
and mention some of the ways in which this country leads all others 
industrially. 3. Tell the story of the making of steel and state why 
steel is better than iron as a material for machinery. 4. Show how 
improved machinery has helped industry. 5. Explain the uses of 
electricity and gasoline. 

6. Discuss the growth of factories in the North and the Middle West. 

7. Describe the mining and agricultural industries of this section. 

8. What section has the largest population and the greatest wealth? 
Why? 

9. Relate the story of the building of the Pacific railroads. 10. What 
class of people first followed the gold and silver seekers to the Far West ? 
What class went next? 11. Where is most of our wheat grown? 
Our fruit? 12. Describe the farms of the Far West. 13. Tell how 
dry lands in the Far West are made moist. 

14. In what condition was the South left after the War of Secession? 
15. Describe the Reconstruction ot the South. 16. Relate the man¬ 
ner in which industrial conditions of the South have changed. 17. Why 
is the South of to-day called “The New South” ? 

18. Tell about the boyhood of Edison. 19. What are the best 
known of Edison’s inventions ? 20. What is the secret of his success ? 

21. Who is Alexander Graham Bell? 22. How did he come to invent 
the telephone? 23. Describe the telephone of to-day. 

24. What is a dirigible ? 25. Relate the story of the Wright brothers 

and tell how they invented the aeroplane. 26. To what uses has the 
aeroplane been put? 27. Who was John Philip Holland? 28. De¬ 
scribe his submarine and tell what use has been made of it. 

.29. Give the story of the invention of wireless telegraphy. 30. Tell 
about the invention of the automobile. 


CHAPTER XXVI 

HOW WE BECAME A WORLD POWER 

The Cruel'Treatment oe Cuba 

Spanish Misrule. — Cuba, the largest island of the 
West Indies, lies only about a hundred miles south of 
the United States. Columbus, it will be recalled, dis¬ 
covered Cuba, in 1492, on his first voyage to America. 
On account of his discovery the island became a Spanish 
colony. 

Spain did not govern Cuba justly. The beautiful island, 
fertile in soil and rich in tropical growth, should have 
become one of the fairest places on earth, but the Spanish 
policy made this impossible. It was a selfish policy de¬ 
signed, not for the good of Cuba, but for the enrichment 
of Spain. Most of the officials were Spaniards who cared 
little for the welfare of the island, and most of the taxes 
collected were spent in Spain. The Cubans could not 
remedy matters because they were allowed to take very 
little part in the government. 

Cubans in Revolution. — Many times the Cubans 
rebelled in the hope of freeing themselves from Spanish 
rule, but Spain succeeded in putting down each uprising. 

In 1895 the Cubans again revolted. This time the 
insurrection spread to so great an extent that Spain 
found it necessary to send a large army to Cuba. 


357 


358 


HOW WE BECAME A WORLD POWER’ 


The Cubans were too weak to meet the Spanish army 
in battle; so they carried on a partisan warfare as the 
people of the South had done in our Revolutionary War. 
Gathering in small bands, they would attack detachments 
of the Spanish army and then disappear into the hills. 
In this manner the war dragged on. Though the Cubans 
could not drive the Spaniards from the island, the Span¬ 
iards could not subdue the Cubans. 

At length the Spaniards saw that they could not conquer 
by regular warfare, and adopted very cruel measures 
toward the inhabitants. 

Sympathy of America for Cuba. — From the very first 
the Americans had sympathized with the Cubans in their 
struggle for freedom. As the war progressed and the 
cruelty of the Spaniards increased, the sympathy of the 
Americans grew to indignation, and there was a strong 
feeling that our government should help Cuba. Now, 
for the United States to help the Cubans would mean 
war between the United States and Spain, and our gov¬ 
ernment wished to avoid war, if possible. It therefore 
tried to persuade Spain to give up her rule over the 
island. But the effort failed. 

The Blowing Up of the Maine. — Then came a 
tragedy that stirred all America. One night early in the 
year 1898 the battleship Maine , which the United States 
had sent to Havana, Cuba, on a friendly visit, was blown 
up and many of its crew were killed. It has never become 
known what caused the explosion, but the common be¬ 
lief among Americans at the time was that Spaniards had 
blown up the ship. Instantly, “ Remember the Maine ” 


WAR WITH SPAIN 


359 


was heard all over our country, and the people demanded 
that our government use force to drive Spain from Cuba. 

War Declared. — William McKinley was then Presi¬ 
dent of the United States. He was a safe leader, for he 
was always careful never to act hurriedly. In spite of 
the demand that force be used, President McKinley kept 
on trying to persuade Spain to give up Cuba peaceably. 



U. S. Battleship “Maine” 


Spain still refused; and conditions in Cuba grew so much 
worse that, finally, the President asked Congress to give 
him power to stop the war in Cuba and set up for the 
Cubans a free and independent government. Congress 
promptly agreed, directing the President to use the army 
and navy to drive the Spaniards from the island. There¬ 
upon (1898), war was declared between Spain and the 
United States. 

War with Spain 

Raising an Army. — The President called for volunteers 
for the army, and from all parts of the country came a 
hearty response. There seemed no longer any “ North 



3 6 ° 


HOW WE BECAME A WORLD POWER 


and South.” Men who had been officers in the Confed¬ 
erate army were appointed to high positions in the United 
States army, and sons of men who had fought against 
each other in the War of Secession stood shoulder to 
shoulder, ready to obey the call of their common country. 

Manila. — When war was declared Commodore George 
Dewey was commanding an American squadron in the 
China Sea. He was ordered to capture or destroy a 
Spanish fleet in the Philippine Islands in the Pacific 
Ocean. These islands which Magellan had discovered 
for Spain nearly three hundred years before still belonged 
to that country. Dewey was prompt to obey. Early 
in a morning of May, 1898, he ran his fleet into the harbor 
of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, where the 
Spanish warships lay at anchor just outside the forts of 
the city. Cannon belching forth shells from ships and 
forts could not stop the advance of the American fleet 
which withheld its fire until it got within close range. 
After a fight of only a few hours, the Spanish fleet was 
entirely destroyed. 

The loss of life among the enemy was severe. The 
fire from the Spanish ships and forts was poorly directed 
and not an American was killed; nor was an American 
vessel much damaged. The victory was one of the most 
complete..in naval annals. 

Santiago. — A few weeks after the victory at Manila, 
an American army commanded by General William R. 
Shafter landed in Cuba for the purpose of capturing the 
town of Santiago. The Americans charged the Spaniards 
and captured their outer line of defenses. On the next 


WAR WITH SPAIN 


3 6 i 


day the Spaniards tried to retake the lost ground, but 
the Americans drove them back. 

On the third day, foreseeing that the town could not 
hold out, and not wishing to be captured, a Spanish 
fleet, which was then in the harbor of Santiago, made a 
sudden dash for the open sea. An American fleet was 
on the outside blockading the harbor, and it was the 
desperate hope of the Spaniards that 
some of their ships might escape by 
breaking through the blockade. 

Commodore W. S. Schley, of the 
American fleet, gave the signal for 
attack as soon as he sighted the 
Spanish fleet coming out the harbor. 

Chase was immediately given to the 
fleeing ships, the Americans firing 
as they pursued, and in a very 
short time every Spanish vessel 
was destroyed. A number of Spaniards were killed or 
wounded and the others were taken prisoners. Only 
one life was lost on the American side. 

Two weeks later the Spanish army, unable longer to 
hold Santiago, surrendered the town and a large part of 
eastern Cuba. 

Treaty of Peace. — The Spaniards were at last willing 
to sue for peace, and in December, 1898, a treaty of peace 
was signed at Paris. By this treaty Spain acknowledged 
the independence of Cuba, and ceded to the United 
States (1) Porto Rico and other islands of the West 
Indies belonging to Spain; (2) Guam, one of the Ladrone 



Winfield Scott Schley 


362 HOW WE BECAME A WORLD POWER 

Islands in the Pacific Ocean; and (3) the Philippine 
Islands. The United States agreed to pay Spain twenty 
million dollars for the Philippines. 

Our Colonial Possessions 

Porto Rico, The Philippines, and Guam. — Except in 
the case of Alaska, which our government purchased from 
Russia in 1867, the United States had heretofore acquired 
only territory that adjoined our country and that could 
soon be made into states of the Union. The War with 
Spain resulted in changing this policy, for, as we have 
seen, the United States, by the treaty of peace, acquired 
lands separated from it by wide seas. 

Porto Rico is one of the larger of the islands of the 
West Indies. It is nearer to the United States than any 
of the other possessions obtained from Spain, lying about 
one thousand miles southeast of Key West, Florida. 
White people are in the majority on the island, though 
there are many negroes. The principal products are 
sugar, coffee, tobacco, and maize. 

The Philippine Islands are fifteen hundred or more 
in number, and most of them are small. They are situ¬ 
ated in the Pacific Ocean, nearer to Asia than to America, 
for they are distant six thousand miles from San Fran¬ 
cisco. Most of the population is of the Malay race, 
though, since we bought the islands from Spain, many 
Americans have moved to them. Manila is the capital 
and chief city. In the Philippines the chief products 
are hemp, rice, corn, sugar, tobacco, and cocoanuts. 

Guam is the largest of the Ladrone or Madrianne 


OUR COLONIAL POSSESSIONS 363 

Islands, an archipelago of the Pacific Ocean. It is five 
thousand miles distant from San Francisco. Its popula¬ 
tion is also mostly of the Malay type and its products 
are very much the same as those of the Philippines. 
When Spain ceded Guam to the United States she 
sold the other islands of the Ladrone archipelago to 
Germany. 

Hawaiian, Wake, and Samoan Islands. — While the 
War with Spain was yet in progress, the United States 
annexed the Hawaiian Islands, an archipelago in the 
Pacific Ocean, at the request of the government of those 
islands. The Hawaiian Islands are twelve in number, 
and are situated nearly three thousand miles from San 
Francisco. Besides the native Hawaiians there are on 
the islands many Chinese and Japanese. The white 
population is increasing. Honolulu is the capital and 
chief city. Sugar is the staple crop, though rice and 
bananas are grown in considerable quantities. 

In the year following the War with Spain (1899) the 
United States took possession of Wake Island, in the 
Pacific, and acquired six of the Samoan Islands, also in 
the Pacific. Wake Island is very small and is unin¬ 
habited. The Samoan Islands lie in an almost direct 
line between San Francisco and Australia. The inhabit¬ 
ants are Malays, and the chief products are copra, cotton, 
and coffee. The United States acquired six of these 
islands through an agreement with Great Britain and 
Germany. 

The Virgin Islands. — Nineteen years after the War 
with Spain (1917) the United States purchased from 


364 


HOW WE BECAME A WORLD POWER 


Denmark, the Virgin Islands, or the Danish West Indies, 
three small islands east of Porto Rico. The price paid 
was twenty-five million dollars. The population of the 
Virgin Islands is mostly negro and the principal products 
are sugar, indigo, cotton, nuts, and salt. 

The Result of Holding Colonies. — As long as the 
United States held territory only on the American con¬ 
tinent it was cut off to a considerable degree from the af¬ 
fairs of the rest of the world. The colonies it has acquired 
are close to the lands of other nations and whatever 
affects the interests of those nations is now more apt 
to affect the interests of this country. The United 
States has, since the War with Spain, been compelled 
to take a greater part than it did before in settling inter¬ 
national affairs, and each year its influence in such matters 
has increased. In this way the United States has be¬ 
come a world power. 

Cutting the Panama Canal 

The Canal Advocated for Many Years. — It will be 

remembered that more than four hundred years ago, 
Balboa, when exploring the Isthmus of Panama, sug¬ 
gested to the Spanish government that a canal be cut 
across the Isthmus to connect the waters of the Atlantic 
Ocean and the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Magellan’s 
voyage around the world a few years later showed the 
great length of the route from the Atlantic to the Pacific 
by way of Cape Horn, at the end of South America. 
Through the centuries that followed people never lost 
sight of the advantage that would come from shortening 


CUTTING THE PANAMA CANAL 365 

the distance by cutting a canal across the narrow strip 
of land at Panama. 

Colombia Tries to Block the Canal. — The United 
States finally decided to dig the canal. In 1903 a treaty 
was made by the United States with representatives of 
the Republic of Colombia, of which Panama was then a 
state. By the terms of this treaty Colombia was to 
receive ten million dollars and an annual rental, in re¬ 
turn for which the United States was to be allowed to 



construct, own, and control the canal. To the surprise 
and disappointment of everybody in the United States 
the Congress of Colombia rejected the treaty because it 
did not think the amount to be paid Colombia was suffi¬ 
ciently large. 

Panama to the Rescue. — The people of Panama were 
most desirous of having the canal, and they decided to 
take the matter in their own hands. They declared 
Panama an independent republic. Theodore Roosevelt, 
then President of the United States, was enthusiastic 
in promoting the canal, and promptly made a treaty 







3 66 


HOW WE BECAME A WORLD POWER 


with the new republic. By this treaty the United States 
gave to Panama, for the privilege of cutting the canal, 
practically the same terms as had been offered to Co* 
lombia. 

The Canal Completed. — President Roosevelt immedi¬ 
ately took steps to start work on the canal. Work was 
begun in 1904. The cutting of the Panama Canal was 
one of the most gigantic projects ever undertaken. Ten 
years were required to complete it, and the cost was more 
than three hundred million dollars. The value of the 
canal, in saving the many thousands of miles around 
South America, is so great that there is no way to calcu¬ 
late it. All the world is benefited for the ships of every 
nation are allowed to use the canal. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Describe Spanish rule in Cuba. 2. Describe the revolution of 
1895 in Cuba. 3. Tell of the blowing up of the Maine . 4. Why 

was war declared between the United States and Spain? 

5. How did the people respond to the call for troops ? 6. Describe 

the battle of Manila. 7. Describe the land and naval battles of 
Santiago. 8. What were the terms of the treaty of peace? 

9. What change of policy on the part of the United States took place 
following the War with Spain? 10. Give a description of Porto Rico; 
of the Philippines; of Guam. 11. How did we get the Hawaiian 
Islands? Wake Island? The Samoan Islands? 12. Give a de¬ 
scription of each of these possessions. 13. Tell how we secured the 
Virgin Islands, and give a description of them. 14. Why is the United 
States now a world power ? 

15. What plan had long been considered for shortening the voyage 
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans? 16. Give the story of how 
the republic of Colombia tried to block the Panama Canal. 17. Tell 
how the republic of Panama came to the rescue. 18. Describe the 
Panama Canal and tell how it benefits the world. 


CHAPTER XXVII 


AMERICAN WOMEN 

Woman’s Part in Our History 

America’s First Mothers. — In 1619, while the Virginia 
colony was still struggling for existence, ninety young 
women from England landed at Jamestown. They had 
been carefully selected by the London Company, which 
then owned the colony, and sent over to become, if they 
chose, wives of Virginia settlers. These worthy young 
women were the first mothers of our country. 

When the Pilgrims approached the Massachusetts coast 
in 1620 the first person to step from the Mayflower was 
a girl, Mary Chilton. Eighteen other women were in 
the little band of Pilgrims that had left comfortable homes 
in the Old World and sought a strange land that they 
might worship God in their own way. Thus from the 
first women have played an important part in the up¬ 
building of America. 

The Pioneer Women. —-The pioneer women of America 
had hard enough work making comfortable homes of log 
cabins in the wilderness, yet they did much more, for they 
shared the hardships and dangers of the pioneer men. 
They planted and gathered crops and often, when the 
men were away, protected the home from attacks of the 
Indians. 


367 


368 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


As the frontier moved westward the same hardships 
and dangers were met; yet side by side with the frontiers¬ 
men went the frontier women. Westward, ever west¬ 
ward, the heroic women went until the Pacific coast was 
reached and there was no more frontier. 

Women in the Revolution. — In times of the country’s 
sorest need women have proved devoted patriots. In the 
Revolutionary War women raised crops and made clothing 
and bandages for the army; they molded their pewter 
utensils into bullets, and in many other ways helped the 
patriot cause. 

In the War of Secession. — In the War of Secession 
women of the North and women of the South responded 
to the call of duty. From both sections many served as 
nurses in the army hospitals. In the North the women 
raised nearly five million dollars to provide clothing, food, 
and medicines for the Federal soldiers, and to keep the 
camps and hospitals in sanitary condition. 

For want of means the Southern women had a much 
harder task in aiding the Confederate soldiers. As the 
South became more and more reduced, the women ran¬ 
sacked their homes, and everything that they thought 
might add to the comfort of the men in the field they 
cheerfully gave. The women of the South patiently 
suffered many sorrows and the severest hardships. They 
did everything they could to keep the Confederacy alive. 
The heroism of Southern women in those dark days has 
never been surpassed. 

In the World War. — When the United States entered 
the World War, many thousands of American women 


WOMAN’S PART IN OUR HISTORY 369 

volunteered for service in Europe. In connection with 
the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Young Men's 
Christian Association, and the Young Women's Christian 
Association, they nursed the wounded and the sick, and, 
by looking after the comfort and entertainment of the 
men, they relieved the monotony of camp life and lessened 
the horrors of war. 

In every city and town in America, the women who re¬ 
mained at home organized chapters of the Red Cross for 
making bandages and garments, and they assisted the 
government in raising money to carry on the war by selling 
bonds and thrift stamps. 

The Women’s Movement. — The part that women 
have taken in public affairs, in time of peace, has been to 
bring about reforms. About a hundred years ago leaders 
among women began a crusade — the “ women's move¬ 
ment " it is commonly called — against injustices and 
wrongs, especially those concerning women and children 
and the home. For a long time the movement made 
little progress, for it had to contend against much preju¬ 
dice. Few persons then believed that women should 
take part in public affairs. For a woman to speak in 
public was thought improper, and those who were the 
first to do so were criticized and ridiculed. Yet, they 
kept on, and their ranks gradually increased. By speak¬ 
ing in all parts of the country and to all kinds of gatherings 
and by writing for newspapers and magazines, women so 
aroused public sentiment that they have been able to 
bring about a number of reforms. Some of these reforms 
we shall now learn about. 


37o 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Better Opportunities for Women. — The efforts of wo¬ 
men reformers were first directed toward better educa¬ 
tion for their sex. Formerly it was thought that if a woman 
could read, write, and cipher, she had as much education 
as she needed. Consequently there were no colleges for 
women. The reformers protested against this unjust 
attitude toward woman’s place in life. They urged that 
education helps the woman who stays at home, for the 
more knowledge she has the better wife and mother she 
makes; and it helps the woman who has to go out into the 
world to work, for it enables her to work more efficiently. 
Their argument was so convincing that many colleges 
for women have been established, and most of those es¬ 
tablished for men are now also open to women. Because 
women are receiving better education, they are now occu¬ 
pying places in business and the professions that it was 
once thought only men could fill. 

Other Reforms. — The women have succeeded in hav¬ 
ing laws passed giving married women many legal rights 
that were formerly denied them, and laws for safeguarding 
the health of women and children while at w T ork. They 
have caused better pay to be given working women and 
they have improved conditions in asylums and prisons. 

Women and Temperance. — Formerly intoxicating 
liquors were sold to any one who wished to buy them, and 
excessive drinking caused much poverty and distress. 
Largely through the efforts of women, the liquor traffic 
is now prohibited by law. 

Women and the Ballot. — Formerly women were not 
allowed to vote. Soon after the women’s movement 


HANNAH DUSTIN 


371 


began, some of the leaders became convinced that women 
could accomplish more if they shared with men the con¬ 
duct of the government, and they demanded that women 
be given the right to vote — a right that carried with it 
the right to hold office. Only after years of agitation, and 
after the reforms that have been mentioned were brought 
about, were women given the ballot. 

Hannah Dustin and Eliza Lucas, Colonial 
Heroines 

Hannah Dustin Captured by the Indians. — Now 
that we know of some of the things that women have ac¬ 
complished, let us learn about a few of America’s famous 
women. 

In one of the wars between the English and the French 
in America, in colonial times, Indians who sided with the 
French attacked the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts. 
Bursting into a house where Mrs. Hannah Dustin lay ill 
in bed, they killed her infant and carried Mrs. Dustin and 
her nurse away as captives. The two women, Mrs. 
Dustin half-clad and barefooted, were forced to trudge 
through the snow, one hundred and fifty miles into the 
forest, to an island in the Merrimac River, near the pres¬ 
ent town of Concord, New Hampshire, where the chief 
was making his camp. There the women met a white 
boy who had been captured some time before. 

The Escape. — The chief told the women that they 
would be taken farther into the forest and subjected to 
torture. Mrs. Dustin resolved to make her escape. 
Upon her suggestion the boy prisoner learned from an 


372 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Indian how to kill with one blow of the tomahawk. In 
the dead of night, when the Indians were sleeping soundly, 
Mrs. Dustin awakened her companions. She and the 
boy each quietly secured from a sleeping Indian a toma¬ 
hawk, and together they slew every warrior, ten in all. 
Only a squaw and a young Indian escaped into the woods. 

Hurrying down to the river bank, Mrs. Dustin and her 
companions got into a canoe and swiftly paddled down¬ 
stream to safety. There was much rejoicing when the 
two women returned to Haverhill, for they had been given 
up for lost. 

How Eliza Lucas Managed Three Plantations. — It 

must not be thought that all colonial life was full of Indian 
fighting. As the colonies became more thickly settled, 
dangers lessened. The following story of Eliza Lucas 
will show how a young colonial girl managed her father’s 
business. 

In 1738 George Lucas, an Englishman, came to South 
Carolina. He soon secured considerable property. Later 
the British government appointed him governor of one 
of the islands of the West Indies. As his wife’s health 
prevented her living in a tropical country, Mr. Lucas 
left his family in South Carolina. Upon his seventeen- 
year-old daughter, Eliza, fell the burden of taking care of 
the plantations, besides nursing the sick mother. 

Such responsibility would be too great for many girls 
of her age, but Eliza Lucas accepted it uncomplainingly, 
and she performed her duties well. In one of her letters, 
which is still in existence, Eliza shows what a busy young 
woman she was. She wrote: 


ELIZA LUCAS 


373 


“We are seventeen miles from Charleston by land and six by 
water. There are six agreeable families around us, with whom 
we live in great harmony. I have a library, for my papa left me 
most of his books. My music and the garden take up the spare 
time that is not given to books. I have the business of three planta¬ 
tions to transact, which requires more writing and fatigue than you 
can imagine; but by rising early I find that I can get through my 
business.” 

A Girl First Plants Indigo. — Mr. Lucas sent from the 
West Indies, to his industrious daughter, seeds of the 
indigo plant. In those days the 
plant was very valuable for making 
dyes. The process of extracting the 
coloring matter from the plant is 
extremely difficult, but after many 
attempts to extract it properly Miss 
Lucas succeeded. Other planters 
followed Miss Lucas’s example, and 
the production of indigo became one 
of the chief industries of the colony. 

It continued to be very generally planted in South Caro¬ 
lina until after the Revolutionary War, when the growing 
of cotton took its place. 

Silk Raising. — Miss Lucas was also successful in 
silk raising. In after years when, as the wife of Judge 
Charles Pinckney, she was presented to the king and 
queen of England, she wore a dress made from silk of her 
own raising. The dress is now in the possession of her 
descendants in Charleston. 



374 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Molly Pitcher, Elizabeth Zane, and Nancy Hart, 
Heroines of the Revolution 

Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth. — In the 

time of the Revolutionary War, women sometimes ac¬ 
companied an army to look after the comfort of their 
husbands. One of these women was Moll McCauley, 



Molly Pitcher at the Gun 


whose husband was an artilleryman in the American army. 
Because she would carry water to the soldiers, even while 
a battle was raging, they began to call her “ Moll o’ the 
Pitcher.” This nickname became “ Molly Pitcher,” 
and as “Molly Pitcher” the heroine is known in history. 

At the battle of Monmouth, while carrying water from 
a spring to her husband, who was loading a cannon, she 
saw him fall wounded. Dropping her pitcher, she rushed 
forward, first to attend to her husband’s wound; and 


MOLLY PITCHER AND ELIZABETH ZANE 375 


then, taking his place, she loaded the cannon during the 
rest of the battle. The next day General Washington 
thanked Molly for her bravery. Later the Continental 
Congress gave her a sergeant’s commission and half pay 
for life. Ever afterward the soldiers affectionately called 
her “ Captain Molly.” 

Elizabeth Zane Saves a Village. —While the Revolu¬ 
tionary War was in progress, the Americans held Fort 
Henry on the site of the present city of Wheeling, West 
Virginia, and around the fort had grown up a small village. 
Indians of the Northwest, incited by the British, attacked 
the fort. The settlers on hearing of their approach had 
hastened to the fort for protection. 

After desperate fighting the garrison drove the Indians 
back to the woods. Everybody knew, however, that they 
would again attack. The people in the fort were in dire 
straits, for the ammunition had given out. When it was 
remembered that a keg of powder had been left by mistake 
in a house in the village, every man in the garrison volun¬ 
teered to go for the powder, but the commander refused 
each offer since it meant almost certain death to the per¬ 
son who made the venture, and the men were so few that 
the loss of one would be a very serious matter. 

A Race for a Keg of Powder. — Then a young woman, 
Elizabeth Zane, asked permission to go for the powder. 
The men remonstrated, saying that she was a mere slip 
of a girl. Elizabeth replied that because she was a slip 
of a girl she should be allowed to go, for her death would 
not be so great a loss to the defenders of the fort as the 
death of one of the men would be. 


376 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Consent was finally given, and when the gate of the fort 
was opened the brave young woman dashed across the 
sixty yards of open space to the house where the powder 
had been left. Placing the keg under her arm she dashed 
back again. The Indians fired shot after shot at her, 
but she gained the gate of the fort and passed in unhurt. 
The battle was renewed, and the Indians were finally 
driven away. Elizabeth Zane had saved the lives of the 
garrison and the people of the village. 

Nancy Hart Captures Six Tories. — Nancy Hart lived 
in Georgia during the Revolutionary War. She and her 
husband were ardent patriots. One day, when her hus¬ 
band was absent, six Tories appeared at the house and 
demanded that Nancy cook a dinner for them. Nancy, 
pretending that she was glad to do so, set about cooking 
a most savory meal. 

When it was ready, the Tories stacked their guns and 
took seats at the table. With lightning-like quickness 
Nancy seized one of the guns and, aiming it at the Tories, 
vowed that she would kill the first one that stirred. 
Then she said to her daughter, “ Go tell the Whigs I 
have taken six base Tories. ” Nancy was cross-eyed, and 
it is said that each Tory thought that she was aiming at 
him. Consequently, each was afraid to be the first to 
make a move. Nancy’s captives were carried off by 
Whigs who came to her assistance. 

Nancy Hart performed many other deeds of bravery 
during the Revolutionary War. She was held in such high 
esteem by her neighbors that they named a county in 
Georgia for her. 


ELIZABETH CADY STANTON 


377 


Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, 
Champions of Woman Suffrage 

Two Life-Long Co-workers. — The names of two 
women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, 
stand out above all others in the history of the early 
struggle of women for the right to vote. They made the 
advancement of woman suffrage their life work and to 
them is mainly due the success of the movement. 

Mrs. Stanton Calls First Women’s Convention. — Eliza¬ 
beth Cady was born in Jamestown, New York, in 1815. 
At the age of twenty-five she married Henry B. Stanton. 
Early in life Mrs. Stanton became interested in securing 
for women equal opportunities with men. Becoming 
convinced that her sex could not get their rights except 
by having the ballot, she joined with three other women in 
calling a convention of women. The convention — the 
first woman’s rights convention held in America — met 
in Mrs. Stanton’s home in Seneca Falls, New York, in 
1848. It organized the National Woman Suffrage Asso¬ 
ciation, of which Mrs. Stanton was made first president; 
and it adopted a “ declaration of rights ” of woman. 
Prominent among the “ declaration of rights ” was the 
right of a woman to vote. 

Mrs. Stanton Campaigns for Woman Suffrage. — The 

women’s convention and its “ declaration of rights ” were 
much ridiculed by the newspapers and were even de¬ 
nounced by the preachers. Ridicule and opposition could 
not stop Mrs. Stanton and the zealous women working 
with her. 


37^ 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Mrs. Stanton spoke in favor of woman suffrage before 
many state legislatures, state constitutional conventions, 
and committees of Congress. She delivered addresses 
all over the country and canvassed states in campaigns 
where the question of woman suffrage was put before the 
voters. In addition, she wrote many newspaper and 
magazine articles in behalf of her cause. 

Susan B. Anthony often accompanied Mrs. Stanton 
on her tours and often she traveled alone. At that time 
public speaking by women was still frowned upon, and 
the two women had to endure much criticism and many 
cold receptions. 

Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony together published, 
in the interest of woman suffrage, a weekly newspaper 
called The Revolution, and with the assistance of Matilda 
Joslyn Gage they wrote a History of Woman Suffrage. 

Early Life of Susan B. Anthony. — Susan B. Anthony 
was born in South Adams, Massachusetts, in 1820. When 
she was five years old her family moved to New York 
State. For fifteen years Miss Anthony taught school. 
Aroused to indignation by the fact that she and other 
women teachers were getting much smaller pay than men 
teachers for the same work, Miss Anthony joined in the 
movement for improving the position of all women. 

Miss Anthony Becomes a Suffragist. — Miss Anthony 
was not at first an advocate of equal suffrage, but meeting 
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, that gifted woman con¬ 
verted her. Once converted, Miss Anthony entered 
whole-heartedly into the suffrage cause. For many years 
she was President of the National Woman Suffrage Asso- 


SUSAN B. ANTHONY 


379 


ciation. Besides appearing before state legislatures and 
Congressional committees, in behalf of woman suffrage, 
Miss Anthony lectured in all the Northern States and 
many of the Southern States. For a period of ten years 
she delivered on an average one hundred lectures a year. 

In 1872 Miss Anthony, to test her right to vote, cast 
a ballot in an election at Rochester, New York, where 
she was then living. She was 
arrested and fined one hundred 
dollars for illegal voting. She 
refused to pay the fine and to 
this day it remains unpaid. 

How Women Secured the 
Vote. — Mrs. Stanton died in 
1902, and Miss Anthony in 
1906. Despite the slow growth 
of sentiment for woman suffrage 
both lived to see the right to 
vote granted to women by a 
few states. By 1914, twelve states had given the vote 
to women. Still, the cause of equal suffrage was gaining 
ground slowly, when the splendid work done by women in 
the World War brought about a rapid change. Many 
men who had formerly opposed the movement came then 
to believe that women are not only deserving of the 
ballot but are capable of using it wisely. Congress 
passed an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States giving the women of every state the right to vote 
on the same footing as men. By 1920 enough states had 
ratified the amendment to make it a law of the land. 



Susan B. Anthony 


380 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Frances E. Willard, Leader of the Temperance 
Movement 

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. — In 

1874 the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was or¬ 
ganized. The purpose of the Union is the protection of 
the home, the mainstay of civilization. Since intemper¬ 
ance brought the greatest misery to the home, the Union 
has devoted most of its activities to fighting the traffic 
in intoxicating liquors. It urged the passage of laws pre¬ 
venting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, 
except for use in medicine, science, and the church com¬ 
munion. Such laws are known as prohibition laws. 

Frances E. Willard. — For many years the leader of 
the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union was Frances 
E. Willard. Miss Willard was born in Churchill, New 
York, in 1839. While she was a little child her father 
moved to a section of Wisconsin that was then a wilder¬ 
ness, and she spent the rest of her childhood on the 
frontier. Miss Willard graduated at a college in Illinois, 
for the time had come when it was recognized in America 
that women should be given every advantage of educa¬ 
tion. She chose teaching as her profession and at one 
time was president of a college for women — the first 
woman in the world to hold such a position. 

Miss Willard in Temperance Work. — Miss Willard 
took a prominent part in organizing the Woman’s Chris¬ 
tian Temperance Union. She was urged to become the 
first president of the Union, but she declined, becoming 
instead one of its secretaries. In 1879, however, in re- 


FRANCES E. WILLARD 381 

sponse to a universal demand, she became president, and 
continued to hold that office until her death in 1898. 

Miss Willard gave up teaching in order to give her entire 
time to working for temperance. As one of her friends 
said, “ Frances Willard caught the spirit of the Woman’s 
Crusade and believed herself called of God to take up 
the temperance cause as her 
work.” 

How Miss Willard Built Up 
the Temperance Union. — When 
Miss Willard took charge of the 
Union it was a small organiza¬ 
tion, weak in numbers and 
finances; and it was waging a 
fight against the prejudice of a 
great majority of the people. 

By her skill and intelligence she 
put the organization on a firm 
basis, establishing branches in every state. It is esti¬ 
mated that Miss Willard visited in the interest of tem¬ 
perance “ every town in the United States of over ten 
thousand inhabitants and most of those above five thou¬ 
sand.” By her eloquence and charming manner she won 
many converts. In 1883 Miss Willard founded the 
World’s Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, and a 
few years later became its president. 

Miss Willard, like Mrs. Stanton and Miss Anthony, 
did not live to see her work in her native land bear full 
fruit, but she was permitted to see many towns and 
counties and even some states pass prohibition laws. 



Frances E. Willard 


382 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


Other Foes of Intemperance.—Of course, the Woman’s 
Christian Temperance Union did not alone fight the evil 
of intemperance. The church fought it; men in every 
walk of life used their influence against it; and the Anti- 
Saloon League, of which men were members, did much 
toward promoting prohibition. However, the Woman’s 
Christian Temperance Union was the first national organ¬ 
ization established for the purpose of fighting the liquor 
traffic, and no organization has done more to put an end 
to it. 

Federal Prohibition. —By the year 1917, when the 
United States entered the World War, prohibition laws 
had been passed by more than half the states, and by many 
towns and counties in the other states. Congress, realiz¬ 
ing that the drinking of intoxicating liquors would lessen 
the fighting capacity of our soldiers, passed a law for¬ 
bidding the sale of such liquors for the period of the 
war and until the army had been demobilized. Then 
Congress passed an amendment to the Constitution per¬ 
manently prohibiting the manufacture or sale of intoxi¬ 
cating liquors, except for use in medicine, science, and 
the church communion, anywhere in the United States 
or its territorial possessions. Early in 1920, a sufficient 
number of states having ratified the amendment, pro¬ 
hibition went into effect throughout the United States 
and its territories. 

Clara Barton and the Red Cross 

Clara Barton, a Nurse in the Federal Army. — Clara 
Barton, one of the world’s heroines, was born in North 


CLARA BARTON 


383 


Oxford, Massachusetts, in 1821. She began life as a 
school teacher; later she accepted a position in one of the 
departments of the government at Washington. While 
she was holding this position the War of Secession broke 
out and she immediately volunteered as a nurse for the 
Federal army. Throughout the war she nursed wounded 
and sick soldiers, and often in the performance of her 
duties she was exposed to greatest dangers on the battle¬ 
field. In recognition of her heroic work a Federal com¬ 
mander appointed her “Lady in 
Charge ” of the hospitals at the front. 

Miss Barton nursed the wounded of AwK/^S8k 
both armies, and as such a thing was fm?/' 
not common at that time, she was very 
much criticized for doing so. All the Red Cross 
world now recognizes that Miss Barton 
was right. To-day the suffering of a soldier is relieved 
whether he be friend or foe. 

Miss Barton with the European Red Cross. — After 
the War of Secession Miss Barton went to Europe for rest. 
There she learned of the Red Cross Society which had 
been organized, in 1864, by a Swiss philanthropist. The 
purpose of the society is to care for the sick and wounded 
in war time regardless of the army to which they belong. 
A number of the nations of Europe had joined in a treaty, 
permitting a branch of the society to be organized in each 
nation, and allowing it to do its relief work in the battle 
area and guaranteeing to its members protection from 
hostile fire. 

While Miss Barton was in Europe a war broke out be- 


3^4 


AMERICAN WOMEN 


tween Germany and France, and she assisted the Red 
Cross in nursing German and French soldiers. 

The American Red Cross. — Returning home Miss 
Barton persuaded the United States government, in 1881, 
to join in the treaty recognizing the Red Cross. Under 
her leadership, the American Red Cross Society was 
organized and she was made its first president. Through 
Miss Barton’s efforts the work of the American Red Cross 
has been enlarged so as to extend beyond the relief of 
suffering in time of war. The society has given aid to 
sufferers from every kind of public calamity, such as fire, 
flood, storm, earthquake, and pestilence. 

In the World War no voluntary organization did nobler 
work in Europe and at home than the American Red 
Cross. After the war ended the American Red Cross 
continued to relieve the distressed in the stricken dis¬ 
tricts of Europe. 

A Life Full of Years and Honors. — Miss Barton held 
the position of president of the American Red Cross 
Society until 1904, when age and infirmity compelled her 
to retire from active work. This wonderful woman died 
in 1912 in her ninety-first year. She was loved and hon¬ 
ored by all the world. For her bravery and good work 
nearly every civilized nation had bestowed medals or 
other decorations upon her. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. Tell of the arrival of the first women in Virginia. 2. Tell of the 
women who came over on the Mayflower. 3. Describe the life of the 
pioneer women and the frontier women. 4. What did women do in 
the Revolution? In the Wax of Secession? In the World War? 


QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 


385 

5. What is the women’s movement and how were its leaders treated 
at first? 6. In what way have women become better fitted for fife? 
7. Mention other reforms that women have brought about. 8. What 
is meant by prohibition ? 9. What is woman suffrage ? 

10. How was Hannah Dustin captured by the Indians, and how did 
she make her escape? n. Tell the story of Eliza Lucas. 

12. Give reasons in each case for thinking that Molly Pitcher, Eliza¬ 
beth Zane, and Nancy Hart were heroines. 13. Which do you think 
performed the bravest deed ? 

14. Who were the chief leaders in the cause of woman suffrage? 
15. Tell what Elizabeth Cady Stanton did for the cause. 16. Tell 
what Susan B. Anthony did. 17. Tell what Mrs. Stanton and Miss 
Anthony did together. 18. How did women secure the vote? 

19. What is the purpose of the Woman’s Christian Temperance 
Union? 20. Who was Frances E. Willard, and what was her great- 
work? 21. Did the Temperance Union alone fight the liquor traffic ^ 
22. Tell how prohibition became a law of the land. 

23. Describe Clara Barton’s experiences as a nurse in the Federal 
army. 24. What is the Red Cross Society? 25. Tell how the 
American Red Cross was organized and what work it does. 26. Teii 
of the last years of Clara Barton. 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


THE WORLD WAR 

Before the United States Entered the War 

Germany Brings on a Terrible Conflict. — In August, 
1914, the greatest war of history broke out in Europe. 
It is called the World War because three fourths of the 
nations of the world took part in it. 

The war grew out of the desire of Germany to dominate 
the world. Germany was an empire with an autocratic 
government. Its emperor, or kaiser, together with a small 
so-called upper class, had almost complete control. The 
empire had grown very rich. The kaiser and those who 
aided him in governing persuaded the German people 
that this prosperity had come because Germany had the 
best government on earth and because the German race 
was superior to all other races. They also led the people 
to believe that, on account of this superiority, Germany 
should control the world. 

Democracy against Autocracy. — Naturally, most na¬ 
tions were unwilling to submit to Germany, and as the 
years passed, the ill-feeling between that country and 
other countries of Europe increased. In the World War 
only Austria, Turkey, and Bulgaria, which also had auto¬ 
cratic governments, fought on the side of Germany. 
These four nations were called the Central Powers. 


386 


BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED 387 


The chief nations fighting against Germany and her 
associates in the early part of the war were Russia, France, 
Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and Belgium. The nations 
fighting against Germany became known as the Allies. 
Most of the Allies had democratic governments. In 
these nations, as in the United States, the people govern. 
If Germany had won, these democratic governments 
would have been destroyed. Consequently, the war be¬ 
came a contest between democracy and autocracy. 

The Germans Invade Belgium. — Germany had the 
strongest army in Europe because for more than forty 
years she had been preparing for war. At first Germany 
was at war with only Russia and France. She planned to 
crush France quickly with her immense army and then 
defeat Russia with the aid of the Austrian army. In 
order to reach France as soon as possible, the German 
army started to march through Belgium. Germany, 
together with other great nations, had promised never to 
invade little Belgium. Thus her first act of war was to 
break a promise; and dearly she paid for it, for Belgium 
was forced into the war because she resisted the German 
invasion, and Great Britain was drawn in because she had 
promised to protect Belgium against invasion. 

First Battle of the Marne. — The Belgian army was 
small, yet it so bravely resisted the hordes of Germans 
pouring into Belgium that time was given the French and 
British to bring up their armies. Forty years of prepara¬ 
tion for war had made the German army stronger in men, 
guns, and ammunition than the combined French, British, 
and Belgian armies. The Germans drove the Allies out 


388 


THE WORLD WAR 


of Belgium and into France as far as the river Marne, at 
a point very near to Paris. Here the Allies, under the 
French general Joseph J. B. Joffre, turned and struck 
the invaders, driving them back into northern France and 



Belgium, and thwarting Germany’s attempt to win the 
war by a quick overwhelming blow. 

The Armies in Western Europe Deadlocked. — Soon 
after the first battle of the Marne, the armies on the 
western front settled down to trench warfare. They 
dug a series of deep trenches from Switzerland, through 
France and Belgium, to the North Sea, a distance of six 









BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED 389 

hundred miles, and in them the soldiers held their lines. 
For four years each army tried by assaults to force the 
other to leave the trenches. These assaults brought 
on battles that often lasted for months, but no decided 
advantage came to either side. 

Germany Gains in Eastern Europe. — While the armies 
on the western front were deadlocked, the fighting on the 
Italian front, the Russian, and other eastern fronts, had 
given Germany and the nations leagued with her a de¬ 
cided advantage. 

The Germans Practice Great Cruelty. — The world 
stood aghast at the awful slaughter of men that four years 
of such tremendous warfare had caused. To add to that 
horror, the Germans acted with the utmost cruelty. 
In violation of the rules of war, they destroyed the 
towns and laid waste the lands of France, Belgium, and 
Poland that they occupied, and subjected the inhabi¬ 
tants to the most severe treatment. Austria, Bulgaria, 
and Turkey were equally cruel in the sections of eastern 
Europe that they overran. 

Neutrality of the United States. — As the war did not 
at first directly affect this country, Woodrow Wilson, 
who was then President, issued a proclamation declaring 
the United States neutral. However, the people of the 
United States from the beginning took deep interest in a 
war of such magnitude. Most Americans sympathized 
with the Allies because they were fighting for democracy; 
this sympathy became stronger when the Germans showed 
how cruel they could be. As the war went on, the United 
States became directly affected by it. 


390 


THE WORLD WAR 


Germany Decides to Use the Submarine. — The British 
navy had blockaded Germany for the purpose of keeping 
ammunition and food sent by other countries from reach¬ 
ing the German army. Germany claimed that the block¬ 
ade was illegal, but she could not prevent it because her 
navy, being much weaker than the British, was shut up 
in her harbors by the blockade. 

All this time England was getting from other countries 
the food she needed. Germany knew that if this supply 
were cut off, England could not long continue in the war, 
so she determined to destroy all hostile merchant ships 
carrying food to England. Since Germany could not use 
her navy for this purpose because of the blockade, she 
announced that she would use the submarine. Navigating 
unseen under the surface of the water, submarines could 
slip by the English warships and get out on the ocean. 

Why Use of the Submarine Is Illegal. — According to 
a law that civilized nations had long ago agreed upon, a 
merchant ship must not be sunk unless the passengers 
and crew are first put into a place of safety. The reason 
for this law is that passengers and crews of merchant ships 
are non-combatants — that is, they are not fighters — 
and should not be killed. Germany utterly disregarded 
this law. The little submarine may with a single torpedo 
sink the largest unarmored vessel, but the submarine is 
very frail and may be easily sunk if seen before it attacks. 
Of course, this made it impossible to make the >1 yes of 
passengers and crew safe before the submarine attacked. 
Germany, therefore, announced that her submarines 
would sink without warning the merchant ships of her 


BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED 


391 


enemies when sighted on seas near England. It made 
no difference to Germany that such method of fighting 
is not proper warfare, but murder. 

President Wilson Warns Germany. — The people of 
every nation have the right to sail the seas on the mer¬ 
chant ships of a nation which is at war; and all the world, 
except the countries on the side of Germany, condemned 
her use of the submarine. They declared that, since 
the submarine could not be used in a legal manner to de¬ 
stroy merchant ships, it should not be used for this purpose 



A Submarine 


at all. President Wilson promptly served notice on Ger¬ 
many that the United States would hold her responsible 
for any injury done to an American citizen by the unlawful 
use of the submarine. 

Sinking of the Lusitania. — Germany did not heed 
the warning. In May, 1915, the English passenger ship, 
Lusitania , while making a regular trip from New York 
to En ind, was torpedoed and sunk, off the coast of Ire¬ 
land, by a German submarine. More than a thousand 
innocent men, women, and children — among whom there 
were about three hundred Americans — were killed or 


392 


THE WORLD WAR 


drowned. The American people felt greatly outraged at 
the murder of their fellow citizens. Many thought that 
the United States should immediately declare war upon 
Germany. 

President Wilson, not wishing to rush the country 
headlong into war, made a demand upon Germany that 
she pay damages for the injuries done Americans, and 
promise not to commit the crime again. Germany ignored 
the demand, and continued to sink merchant ships of 
her enemies, causing the loss of other American lives. 

Germany Breaks a Promise Made to the United States. 
— Finally, Germany promised to stop sinking mer¬ 
chant ships without warning. But her promise was 
not sincere. The British navy had destroyed most of 
Germany’s submarines and until she could build more, 
she was willing that the United States should be deceived 
into thinking that she had given up the illegal practice. 

Early in 1917 a new fleet of submarines was completed. 
Germany then announced that she would resume her 
submarine warfare upon shipping, and that it would be 
on an even greater scale than before. Not only merchant 
vessels of nations at war with Germany, but those of na¬ 
tions not at war with her, were to be sunk without warn¬ 
ing ; and the waters in which they were to be sunk were 
extended so as to include seas bordering on other Euro¬ 
pean countries besides England. 

To Make the World Safe for Democracy.—President 
Wilson asked Congress to declare that, by Germany’s acts 
violating the rights of Americans, a state of war existed 
between the United States and Germany. He said that 


AFTER THE UNITED STATES ENTERED 


393 


the war should be waged not for conquest, but to make 
the world safe for democracy. On April 6, 1917, Congress 
declared war. 

After the United States Entered the War 

Germany Thought America Weak in War.—The 
United States, not being a military nation, was unpre¬ 
pared for war. It was be¬ 
cause of our unpreparedness 
that Germany was willing to 
risk our joining her many ene¬ 
mies. The German leaders be¬ 
lieved, and they led the German 
people to believe, that America 
would not count for much in 
the war. They thought that 
their splendid army and their 
submarines would bring the 
war to an end before an Ameri¬ 
can army could get ready to 
fight, or if not, that their sub¬ 
marines would sink the vessels carrying the American 
army over the ocean. 

Americans Bent on Winning the War. — In spite of 
their natural dislike for the grim business of war, when 
the American people realized that they must fight, they 
responded vigorously and enthusiastically. “ Win the 
War/’ became the national slogan. 

Raising an Immense Army. — The regular army of the 
United States and the militia of the states, called the 



394 


THE WORLD WAR 


National Guard, were together not a force sufficient for 
so large a war. The government, therefore, required 
every man in the United States between the ages of 
twenty-one and thirty-one to register, and from those 
registered were drawn, or drafted, such men as could be 
best used in the army. Thousands upon thousands of 
Americans, however, volunteered before the draft was 
made; and even after it was made many, both over the 
draft age and under, volunteered. 

The National Guard, the volunteers, and the drafted 
men were all sent to camps for military training before 
being sent to Europe. The camps located in different 
parts of the country were built at great cost, and each 
was large enough to take care of twenty-five to forty 
thousand men. 

The Building of Ships. — Submarines destroyed so 
many ships carrying food to the allied countries that for 
a time it seemed that the Germans might succeed in de¬ 
feating the Allies by starving them; but the United States 
began the rapid building of ships to take the place of those 
destroyed. England also rushed work on new ships. 
When the point was reached at which these two countries 
were building ships faster than the submarines could 
sink them, the danger of defeat for want of food was 
passed. 

How America Fed the Allies. — The United States had 
to furnish the food sent to the Allies, besides feeding its 
own army. In order that there might be enough food for 
this gigantic undertaking, the people of the United States 
used less than they had been accustomed to. On certain 


AFTER THE UNITED STATES ENTERED 


395 


days they did not eat meat, and on others they did not 
eat wheat. Such days came to be called “ meatless days ” 
and “ wheatless days.” Other articles of diet needed 
by the Allies were saved by limiting the amount that 
each person in America might use. To save coal for fuel 
for the ships carrying food to the Allies, heat was cut off 
from public and business buildings on certain days — 
“ heatless days,” and the use 
of electric lights was curtailed 
on certain nights — “ lightless 
nights.” 

Work of the American Navy. 

— Soon after the United States 
entered the war, General John 
J. Pershing, who had been 
placed in command of the 
American army, reached France. 

Then our soldiers began cross¬ 
ing the Atlantic. By the spring 
of 1918 three-quarters of a mil¬ 
lion American soldiers had ar¬ 
rived in Europe, and the number going over each month 
was steadily increasing. 

The fact that our army could cross three thousand 
miles of an ocean infested with hostile submarines was 
due to the excellent condition of our navy. When war 
was declared, the navy was ready. An American fleet 
under the command of Admiral William S. Sims was 
immediately sent to European waters. It assisted the 
allied navies in blockading Germany, sinking German 



John J. Pershing 


396 


THE WORLD WAR 


submarines, and guarding the transports carrying our 
troops across the ocean. 

Germany Realizes that She Must Act Quickly. — By 

the beginning of 1918, German military leaders realized 
that their submarine warfare was a failure. It had neither 
starved the Allies nor kept American soldiers from reach¬ 
ing Europe. These leaders also knew that although the 
fighting in eastern Europe had gone well for Germany, 
the war could not be won until Germany had crushed the 
allied armies in France and Belgium, and that she would 
not be able to crush them unless she did so before many 
more Americans arrived in France. 

The Germans Shoot Their Last Bolt. — Therefore, 
the Germans collected on the western front a very large 
army for the purpose of striking the allied armies quick 
and terrific blows. In March, 1918, they began their 
drive. The first blow fell upon the British army in north¬ 
ern France, which, unable to withstand the assault of 
overwhelming numbers, retreated from their trenches. 
The retreat of the British compelled the other allied armies 
to leave their trenches and fall back in order to keep from 
being separated. With the trenches evacuated, the 
fighting was now carried on in the open. The next blow 
fell upon the French who were, in turn, driven back. 

The number of men killed and wounded on both sides 
was appalling. In three months the drive had forced the 
Allies so far back into France that once more the Germans 
had reached the river Marne, only a few miles from Paris. 

Americans Rushed to France.—The months of the 
German drive were months of anxious suspense for the rest 


AFTER THE UNITED STATES ENTERED 


397 


of the world. An appeal was sent to America to save the 
cause by hurrying over troops. America responded by 
sending across the Atlantic three hundred thousand sol¬ 
diers, or more, a month — the most remarkable military 
and naval feat of history. 

Chateau-Thierry.— Meanwhile (June, 1918), General 
Ferdinand Foch, a French officer who had been made 
commander-in-chief of all 
the allied armies, had 
stopped the Germans at 
the river Marne. He had 
used French troops and 
a small body of Ameri¬ 
cans. The Americans, 
stationed near the village 
of Chateau-Thierry, held 

their ground against a “ A Caterpillar Tane ” 

greatly superior number 

of Germans, and showed that, though they had not re¬ 
ceived much training, they were good soldiers. 

Second Marne, St. Mihiel, and Argonne Forest. — Hav¬ 
ing stopped the Germans on their drive to Paris, Foch 
continued to attack them instead of waiting to be attacked. 
Soon the French, with the assistance of the Americans, 
had driven the enemy from the river Marne. Shortly 
afterward the Americans won two battles. They first 
beat the Germans back from St. Mihiel and then drove 
them through Argonne Forest. The battle of Argonne 
Forest was one of the most difficult of the war and was the 
largest engagement in which an American army has ever 



398 


THE WORLD WAR 


taken part. It was fought in woods thick with under¬ 
brush where the Germans had placed many nests of ma¬ 
chine guns. In fighting their way through, thousands 
of brave Americans gave up their lives. 

Breaking through the Hindenburg Line. — Ameri¬ 
cans also fought side by side with the British army, and 
they valiantly assisted that army in driving the Germans 
back. In front of the British was the famous Hindenburg 
line, the most strongly fortified of all the German trenches. 
It was not thought possible that an army could pass these 
trenches, but the British and Americans smashed the 
Hindenburg line to pieces, the Americans being the first 
to break through. 

Bulgaria, Turkey, and Austria Surrender. — By the 

middle of October, 1918, the Germans had given up most 
of the territory that they had captured in northern France 
and Belgium, and their whole army on the western front 
was in retreat. While the Germans were meeting with 
defeat, the Italians had routed the Austrians in northern 
Italy, and another allied army was marching toward Bul¬ 
garia. In quick succession Bulgaria, Austria, and Turkey 
surrendered. 

Germany Seeks Peace. — With her associates out of 
the fighting and with no more men at home for her to 
draw upon for her army, Germany saw her scheme of 
world conquest vanish. The German government sent 
a note to President Wilson asking that an armistice — 
that is, a cessation of hostilities — be arranged so that 
peace might be made. 

President Wilson had already announced the terms 


THE TREATY OF PEACE 


399 


upon which America would be willing to make peace. 
Among them were: Every nation, great and small alike, 
should have the right to its own government; Germany 
and the nations in alliance with her should give back to 
other nations all territory taken from them in the past; 
a League of Nations should be formed for the purpose of 
preventing wars in the future. In the note to President 
Wilson the German government accepted his terms as a 
basis upon which to make peace. 

The Armistice. — The allied nations having also ac¬ 
cepted President Wilson’s terms, General Foch arranged 
the armistice. Under the conditions of the armistice 
Germany was compelled to surrender much of her fleet 
and most of her arms and ammunition. This was to 
make it impossible for her to continue the war if she should 
be unwilling to sign the treaty of peace when finally 
drawn up. The armistice went into effect November n, 
1918. 

The Awful Toll of War. — The fighting that had for 
more than four years drenched Europe in blood had come 
to an end. About nine million men had been killed in 
battle or had died in service. More than twice that 
number had been wounded. Large areas in France, 
Belgium, Russia, Poland, and Serbia had been laid waste, 
and in these devastated areas suffering and misery and 
death had befallen the inhabitants. 

The Treaty of Peace and the League of Nations 

The Nations Gather at Paris to Make Peace. — The 
Peace Conference met in Paris in January, 1919. All 


400 


THE WORLD WAR 


the nations, great and small, that were at war with Ger¬ 
many, sent delegates. President Wilson headed the 
delegation from the United States. Never before had a 
President left the country for more than a day or two^ at 
a time. Since, however, the terms which he proposed 
had been accepted as a basis upon which to make peace, 
President Wilson thought that he should present them to 
the Conference in person. 

So many difficult questions growing out of the war 
had to be settled that the Conference was in session for 
nearly six months before it completed the treaty of peace 
with Germany. The treaty required Germany to restore 
territory that she had seized from other countries in 
previous wars; to pay large sums for damages she had un¬ 
lawfully inflicted upon other countries during the World 
War; and forbade her keeping a large army. The treaty 
also acknowledged the independence of certain small 
nations that had sprung up in Europe as a result of the 
war; and it contained a plan for a League of Nations. 

The Senate Refuses to Ratify the Treaty. — Under the 
Constitution of the United States the Senate must ratify 
a treaty by a two-thirds vote before it can go into effect. 
When President Wilson sent the peace treaty to the Senate 
for ratification, in the summer of 1919, the members of the 
Senate divided on the question of the League of Nations. 
Some were willing to accept the plan of the League just 
as it was written in the treaty; others were willing to 
accept the plan provided certain clauses, or “ reserva¬ 
tions ” which they thought necessary to protect the in¬ 
dependence of the United States, were added; while still 
others — these few in number—were opposed to a League 


THE TREATY AND THE LEAGUE 


401 


of Nations in any form. The differences of opinion 
caused the Senate to remain deadlocked over the treaty 
for some months. Finally, all efforts to come to an 
agreement having failed, the Senate, in the spring of 
1920, returned the treaty to President Wilson unratified. 

The League of Nations before the People. — Mean¬ 
while most of the nations of the civilized world had 
joined the League of Nations, and in the election, in 
the fall of 1920, for a President of the United States the 
League was made an issue before the people. The 
Democratic party advocated the United States’ enter¬ 
ing the League; the Republican party opposed the 
country’s entering the League 
under the existing plan, but 
favored its joining with other 
nations in forming, under 
some other plan, a league 
or association for preserving 
peace. The Democrats nom¬ 
inated James M. Cox of 
Ohio, for President, and the 
Republicans nominated 
Warren G. Harding of Ohio. 

Harding was elected by an 
overwhelming vote. While 
other issues entered into the 
campaign, the immense ma¬ 
jority given the Republican candidate indicated that 
the people preferred a League of Nations different 
from the one that had been established. 



402 


THE WORLD WAR 


The Armament Conference. — Because the Senate 
had refused, on account of opposition to the League of 
Nations, to ratify the peace treaties, the United States 
was still technically at war with Germany and Austria. 
Therefore, soon after President Harding was inaugu¬ 
rated, Congress passed a resolution declaring the War 
at an end. 

As large navies, besides being a great expense to the 
people, are apt to bring on wars, and as some of the 
nations, including the United States, were building 
large navies, President Harding thought that steps 
should be taken to put a limit upon this policy. He in¬ 
vited certain other nations to send delegates to meet in a 
conference at Washington with delegates from the United 
States. The conference met near the end of 1921. The 

five great naval powers, 
— the United States, 
Great Britain, France, 
Italy and Japan, — 
agreed upon a treaty 
which bound each coun¬ 
try to limit its navy to 
a size necessary only for 
self-defense. The treaty 
will remain in force until 
the year 1936. All the 
world approved of this 
treaty as it is looked 
upon as a powerful influ¬ 
ence in preventing war. 



Calvin Coolidge 


THE TREATY AND THE LEAGUE 


403 


Death of Harding. — While on his return from a visit 
to Alaska, President Harding died, after a brief illness, 
in San Francisco, August 2, 

1923. 

Calvin Coolidge, of Mas¬ 
sachusetts, the Vice Presi¬ 
dent, thereupon assumed 
the office of President of the 
United States. 

Coolidge and Hoover. — 

In the election of 1924, Pres¬ 
ident Coolidge was chosen 
to continue in the office of 
President for the four year 
term following the unex¬ 
pired term of President 
Harding in which he was then serving. 

In the election of 1928, Herbert C. Hoover, of Cali¬ 
fornia, was selected to succeed to the Presidency. 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

1. How did Germany bring on the World War? 2. Explain how 
the World War was a struggle between democracy and autocracy, and 
name the principal countries engaged on each side at the beginning of 
the war. 3. How did Germany lose her national honor when she in¬ 
vaded Belgium? 4. Describe the first battle of the Marne, and show 
the results of this battle. 5. Which side gained the advantage in 
Eastern Europe? 6. Tell about the cruelty of the Germans 7. How 
did the people of the United States at first look upon the World War? 
8. Describe Germany’s use of the submarine, and explain why this use 
was illegal. 9. Describe the sinking of the Lusitania. 10. Why did the 
United States enter the World War? 



404 


THE WORLD WAR 


ii. Why was Germany willing that the United States should join 
her many enemies? 12. Tell how we raised an army, built ships, and 
fed the Allies. 13. Describe the work of the American Navy. 14. Tell 
all you can about the great German drive of 1918. 15. Describe the 

battles of Chateau-Thierry, Second Marne, St. Mihiel, and Argonne 
Forest, and the part that Americans took in these battles. 16. Tell 
about breaking through the Hindenburg line. 17. Tell how the war 
came to an end. 18. What was the Armistice? 

19. Relate the story of the Peace Conference at Paris. 20. What 
is meant by a League of Nations? 21. Why did the Senate refuse to 
ratify the treaty of peace with Germany? 22. What did the presidential 
election of 1920 show?^ 23. Tell about the Armament Conference. 
24. Who succeeded Harding as President? 25. Who was chosen to 
succeed President Coolidge? 


CHAPTER XXIX 
CONQUERING THE AIR 

The Advance of Aviation 

The Dirigible. — Aviation has progressed with as¬ 
tonishing rapidity in the years since the World War. 
Already dirigibles, flying machines lighter than air, 
have successfully made, with a number of passengers, 
flight voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. 

The Aeroplane. — Flights across the ocean have also 
been made by the aeroplane, the machine heavier than 
air. Better built planes, improved engines, and steadily 
increasing knowledge of how to cope with winds and 
weather are rapidly making aeroplane flying practically 
as safe as any other method of travel. In Europe aero¬ 
planes carry passengers between cities on regular sched¬ 
ules, and in the United States they carry mail over routes 
totalling thousands of miles. 

Aviators of almost every civilized country have per¬ 
formed wonderful feats with the aeroplane, and two 
American aviators have gained world-wide fame — 
Richard Evelyn Byrd and Charles Augustus Lindbergh. 

405 


406 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


Byrd Flies to the North Pole 

Boyhood of Byrd. — Not so very many years ago there 
lived in Winchester, Virginia, a family named Byrd, 
whose people had lived in Virginia since early colonial 
days. In this family were three boys, Thomas, Richard, 
and Henry. Friends called them “Tom, Dick and 
Harry.” All the boys grew to be prominent and useful 
citizens. Tom gained a captaincy in the American 
Army in the World War for gallantry in the storming of 
the Hindenburg line; Harry became Governor of 
Virginia in 1926; and Dick became a famous aviator. 

Dick — whose full name is Richard Evelyn Byrd — 
was born in Winchester on October 28, 1888. From the 
time he was a little boy he has shown an adventuresome 
spirit. When only twelve years old he went around the 
world by himself, and had many thrilling experiences. 
It was natural that a boy so fond of adventure should 
wish to be a sailor. He secured a cadetship in the United 
States Naval Academy at Annapolis, and, though he 
injured a foot in the gymnasium in his last year at the 
Academy, he graduated with his class in 1912. 

A Young Naval Officer. — Still suffering from the 
injury to his foot Byrd began service in the Navy. No 
duties are more exacting than those of the Navy, and 
Byrd struggled so manfully to do his work, despite his 
handicap, that by the end of four years he had been pro¬ 
moted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. By that 
time, however, the condition of his foot had become so 
bad that it was necessary to retire him from active serv- 


BYRD FLIES TO THE NORTH POLE 


407 


ice. Still, he had had adventure in his short term of 
service, for he had helped in putting down two revolu¬ 
tions in the West Indies. 

Byrd Becomes an Aviator. — Byrd chafed over the 
inactive life that his retirement from the Navy had 
forced upon him. Then came the World War, when the 
country could use the services of even crippled men, and 
Byrd thought he saw an op¬ 
portunity to “do his bit.” 

He re-entered the Navy, hop¬ 
ing to go into aviation, but 
on account of his injured 
foot he was given work in an 
office in Washington. He 
fretted so much because he 
was working at a desk instead 
of flying that his physical con¬ 
dition became serious. The 
naval surgeons threatened to 
send him home for a rest. 

Byrd was desperate. “Give 
me a chance,” he begged the surgeons, “I want to fly. 
Give me a month of it and if I don’t improve to suit you, 
I’ll do anything you say.” 

The surgeons, unable to resist such earnest pleading, 
gave Byrd a chance. Fresh air, the thrill of flying, and 
the feeling that at last he was doing for his country what 
he wished to do, made him physically a new man. His 
recovery was most rapid. Never since has he been 
troubled with his foot. 



Richard E. Byrd 



408 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


Byrd learned to fly at the naval station at Pensacola, 
Florida, and was then made commanding officer of the 
aviation station that the United States Navy established 
temporarily in Nova Scotia for war purposes. While 
the war was in progress and again after the war had 
closed, Byrd made unsuccessful attempts to get the 
Navy Department’s permission for him to make in a 
seaplane a flight across the Atlantic Ocean. 

The Science of Aviation. — Byrd has directed his 
work as a flyer toward the perfecting of the science of 
aviation. His desire is so to increase knowledge of the 
science that flying will become of every-day use. For 
the scientific phase of his work he is particularly well 
fitted. To his adventuresome spirit he adds the accurate 
scientific training he gained as a naval cadet and officer. 
Especially is his training in sea navigation of help in 
his study of air navigation. 

That the science of aviation is rapidly approaching the 
desired safety point is due to the daring and skill of the 
pioneer aviators, and of none more so than Byrd. Be¬ 
sides making important discoveries about flying, es¬ 
pecially in relation to the varying conditions of the air, 
Byrd has invented several instruments of great value to 
aviation. 

Exploring the Arctic Region. — In the summer of 
1925, Byrd explored in a plane, with the temperature 
below zero, 30,000 square miles of the Arctic region — 
a wide field of ice most of which had never before been 
seen by man. He brought back from this expedition 
much information concerning air conditions. 


BYRD FLIES TO THE NORTH POLE 


409 

Byrd “Hops” to the North Pole. — On May 9, 1926, 
Byrd and his assistant, Floyd Bennett, starting from one 
of the Spitzbergen Islands in the Arctic Ocean, “hopped” 
in a plane to the North Pole. From the Spitzbergen 
to the Pole is 750 miles and the dash to the Pole and back 
was made in about fifteen and one half hours. Since 
the magnetic compass does not work satisfactorily that 
far north the sun compass had to be used, but, since 
the flyers were in the “land of the midnight sun/'’ where 
the sun does not set for six months, they had the benefit 
of bright light during the entire trip. The directness 
with which Byrd steered his plane to a location in the 
air not discernible by the eye and the directness with 
which he steered it back to the starting point show his 
extraordinary skill in air navigation.^ 

Peary had been the first man to reach the North 
Pole, in 1909, but it took him two-thirds of a year to 
get there and back on dog sleds. Byrd made the dash 
to the Pole and back in less than two-thirds of a day. 
Moreover, it was not until five months after Peary had 
gained the Pole that news of it reached the outside world; 
whereas Byrd, though he could have sent the news while 
at the Pole, for he had a radio set with him, waited 
until his return to Spitzbergen, and yet announced his 
feat to the world within a few hours. Such has been the 
progress in travel and communication in the short space 
of seventeen years! 

While over the North Pole, Byrd made pictures, and 
then circled his plane around the Pole. “We thus,” 
says Byrd, “made a non-stop flight around the world 


4io 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


in a very few minutes. In doing that we lost a whole 
day in time and of course when we completed the circle 
we gained that day back again. Time and direction be¬ 
came topsy-turvy at the Pole. When crossing it on the 
same straight line we were going north one instant and 
south the next! No matter how the wind strikes you 
at the North Pole it must be traveling north and how¬ 
ever you turn your head you must be looking south.” 

How Byrd Felt at the North Pole. —(Imagine, if you 
can, a picture of the two flyers as they paused in their 
flight over the top of the world.) As far as their eyes 
could see there was nothing but snow and ice, just a vast 
stretch of dreary waste with no sign of life of any kind. 
Byrd has described their sensation: “We felt no larger 
than a pinpoint and as lonely as the tomb; as remote 
and detached as a star — two insignificant specks of 
mortality flying there over that great, vast white area 
in a small plane — just a dot in the center of 10,000 
square miles of visible desolation.” 

Byrd’s Triumphant Homecoming. — Byrd’s flight to 
the North Pole thrilled the world. On his reaching New 
York, the city gave him a triumphant homecoming. 
Everywhere else he went great crowds met him) Con¬ 
gress promoted him, for his brilliant exploit, to the rank 
of Commander in the Navy, 

ByrcJ, like all truly great men, is modest, and like 
other aviators devoted to their calling, he is unwilling 
to commercialize his fame. He has refused many op¬ 
portunities to make large sums of money from his 
exploits. \ 


LINDBERGH “THE LONE EAGLE 


>> 


411 


Lindbergh, “The Lone Eagle” 



Boyhood of Lindbergh. — Charles Augustus Lind¬ 
bergh was born at the home of his grandfather in Detroit, 
on February 4, 1902. When he was a few weeks old his 
parents took him to their home on a farm near Little 
Falls, Minnesota, and there 
he spent his early boy¬ 
hood. 

The little Lindbergh boy 
was fortunate in his parents. 

His father, reared in the 
hard pioneer life of the West, 
was rugged, courageous, 
honest, and clear thinking. 

His mother was well edu¬ 
cated. She had been a school 
teacher, and after his father’s 
death, she again took up 
teaching. Both father and 
mother made a companion of the boy. The father taught 
the boy to shoot and ride well, and frequently the two 
went on camping or fishing trips in the woods and on the 
lakes and streams of Minnesota. 

/ The boy’s fondness for the woods often took him on 
long walks by himself or in company with his ever faith¬ 
ful dog. His outdoor life made him strong and healthy. 
Because he cared so little for the companionship of other 
boys his schoolmates said he was a “queer guy,” but he 
w;as not unpopular. ^ 


Charles A. Lindbergh 


412 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


Fondness for Machinery. — Young Lindbergh early 
showed a strong liking for machinery. He knew how to 
repair first the bicycle he owned and next his motor 
cycle; and then, when still a boy, he learned every bolt 
and screw of his father’s automobile. While at college 
he made an ice boat and equipped it with a motor cycle 
engine and aeroplane propeller, and sailed the lakes near 
the college. 

At School and College. — From the time young Lind¬ 
bergh was four years old until he was fourteen his father 
was a member of Congress, and during that time the 
family was constantly moving back and forth between 
their home in Minnesota and the city of Washington. 
As a consequence the boy in his earlier years attended 
school very irregularly, but his mother made up the 
handicap by teaching him. In 1918 Lindbergh graduated 
from the high school at Little Falls at the age of sixteen. 
Two years later he entered the University of Wisconsin 
with the view to completing a course in mechanical 
engineering. 

For a year and a half Lindbergh stuck closely to his 
work at the University. In that time, however, he 
decided that he would like to become an aviator. He 
consulted his mother who was near by and who approved 
of his following the career he wished. Since he could 
not see that the course he was taking at the University 
would help him particularly in becoming an aviator, he 
resigned from the University and, mounting his motor 
cycle, rode to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he\entered an 
aviation school. 


4i3 


LINDBERGH ‘ THE LONE EAGLE” 

Lindbergh Becomes a “Barnstormer.” — Before Lind¬ 
bergh had finished the course at the flying school, for 
he had not yet done “solo-flying” — flying by oneself — 
he left the school to accompany a friend, who owned a 
plane, on a “barnstorming” tour of the Northwest. 
“Barnstorming” in aviation is flying from town to town 
and for a price taking persons to ride in a plane. Towns 
where fairs are in progress are preferred and usually 
“ stunts ” are done in the air to draw crowds. Lindbergh, 
who was then only twenty years old, did the “stunts.” 
The charge Lindbergh and his friend made for a ride was 
five dollars a person. In this way they paid their ex¬ 
penses and Lindbergh saved a little money. 

Buys His First Plane. — Lindbergh longed to have a 
plane of his own. On hearing that the United States 


Government was selling at Americus, Georgia, at cheap 
prices a lot of old planes built for use in the World War, 
he hastened to that city and bought for himself a plane 
for five hundred dollars. The next day, although he had 
not before done “solo-flying,” he tested his plane by 
making a flight alone. After a week’s practice, he flew 
alone from Americus to his far-off home in Minnesota, 
“barnstorming” along the way to pay his expenses. 

Lindbergh Graduates at Army Aviation School. — 
Still, Lindbergh was not satisfied. He wished to know 
all that was then to be known about aviation and to fly 
the very best of planes. Therefore, in 1924, he enrolled 
as a cadet in a school of the Air Service Reserve Corps 
of the Army at San Antonio, Texas. After a year’s 
instruction he graduated with a commission in the Re- 


4 T 4 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


serve Corps. The training at army flying schools is 
very severe, and of the one hundred and four young men 
who had entered the school in the class with Lindbergh 
only eighteen graduated. r 

Decides to Fly to Paris. —\The greater part of the 
year following his graduation from the army school 
Lindbergh spent in “barnstorming” towns of the far 
West.) In the spring of 1926 he became a pilot in the 
air-mail service between Chicago and St. Louis. 

One autumn night (of 192(h) while flying the air-mail 
route, Lindbergh thought of sdmething he would rather do, 
something nobody had ever done — make in an aeroplane 
a non-stop flight between New York and Paris. 

Seven years before a prize of $25,000 had been offered 
to the person or persons who would first make this 
flight and the prize was still awaiting the winner. Lind¬ 
bergh determined to try for it. V Since, with Lindbergh, 
deciding to do a thing is to do it,\he immediately set 
about making his plans. To save for extra fuel the space 
and weight in a plane that another flyer would take he 
decided to make the flight alone. He would be both 
navigator and pilot. 

Next he interested a group of public spirited citizens 
of St. Louis who furnished the money for building the 
plane. 

Lindbergh had the plane built in San Diego, California, 
and he named it the Spirit of St. Louis in compliment 
to the friends who had helped him. During the two 
months that it took to build the plane, Lindbergh worked 
out the details of navigation and plotted from maps and 


LINDBERGH “THE LONE EAGLE 


415 


charts the course he would follow in flying over the 
ocean. 

The “Lone Eagle ” off for Paris. — Flying his plane 
from San Diego and stopping only at St. Louis, Lind¬ 
bergh landed at Curtis Field, Long Island, New York. 
There he found other flyers waiting for good weather to 
make the flight to Paris, but he was the only one who 
would make the flight alone. Lindbergh also waited 
for good weather. A week passing and the weather im¬ 
proving somewhat, though yet far from favorable, he 
determined to wait no longer. 

From Roosevelt Field, adjoining Curtis Field, in the 
early morning of Friday, May 20, 1927, Lindbergh took 
off for Paris. Friends who had gathered at an early 
hour of the murky morn to assist in the take-off saw the 
winning smile and heard the cheery “so-long” and then 
watched in silent awe and admiration the “Lone Eagle” 
disappear in the east. 

Soon telegraph, cable, telephone, and radio carried 
to the remotest corners of the earth the startling news 
that Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis had gone on 
their flight to Paris. All the world waited eagerly for 
further news. As long as Lindbergh’s course continued 
over New England, and Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland 
his progress could be followed, but, when he turned the 
nose of his plane over the broad Atlantic, he was lost 
to the world; for, just as he had sacrificed many other 
things for fuel, he had refused to carry a radio set with 
which he could have kept in touch with the outside world. 
Vessels plying the ocean were instructed to be on the 


416 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


lookout for the lone flyer as he passed overhead, but 
night wore away without his having been sighted. 
Morning came and still no news; a few hours more, and 
then a wireless message from Newfoundland carried the 
tidings that a vessel had broadcasted: “Lindbergh 
sighted 500 miles from Irish coast. Plane keeps full 
speed. May be expected 8:00 p.m., New York time, 
in Ireland.” And the world breathed freer. 

The Perilous Flight. — We now know from his own 
story that the dauntless flyer, scarcely more than a boy, 
alone in the sky that night, flew through the darkness 
and dangers of fog, cloud storm, and sleet storm. jWe 
also know, though he is too modest to have told it him¬ 
self, that his heart never quaked. 

Arrival in Paris. — Shortly after ten o’clock (5 :oo 
p.m., New York time) the second night, Saturday, 
May 21, Lindbergh landed in Paris, where an enthusi¬ 
astic, wildly cheering crowd of one hundred thousand 
persons had gathered to greet him. He had flown straight 
as a bird and had covered the distance of 3,160 miles, 
half of it over the ocean, in thirty-three and one-half 
hours. All the world sounded praise for the remarkable 
feat. (Men, women, and children could think of nothing, 
could talk of nothing but the young hero, his courage, 
his daring, and his skill A 

Reception in Europe. — Lindbergh’s stay in Paris, 
and his visits to Brussels and London were one continual 
ovation. He was received by crown heads and presi¬ 
dents, by parliaments and ministers of State, and by 
marshals and generals of the World War. Queen 


LINDBERGH “ THE LONE EAGLE ” 


417 


Elizabeth of Belgium took a snapshot of him as he stood 
by King Albert. The Prince of Wales wished to know 
of him what he would do now that he had accomplished 
the great feat, and he with his modesty and his loyalty 
to his calling, replied, “I am going to keep on flying.” 

It was the people, however, that nearly overwhelmed 
Lindbergh with their enthusiasm. Wherever he appeared 
in public, in Paris, in Brussels, or in London, it was the 
same story. A seething mass of humanity madly pushed 
and pressed and jostled one another just for the sight 



Home Again. — President Coolidge sent a warship 
to bring the young hero home. On his arrival at Wash¬ 
ington President and Mrs. Coolidge received him and all 
Washington poured out to honor him. New York gave 
him the greatest reception in the history of that city. 
As a crowning tribute to his remarkable feat, St. Louis, 
the city that had given him his faithful plane, gave him 
an enthusiastic welcome home. 

$ Lindbergh Tours the United States. — In the summer 
and autumn of 1927, Lindbergh, in the interest of avia¬ 
tion, toured the United States in the Spirit of St. Louis. 
He made one or more landings in every State, and when¬ 
ever he landed immense crowds flocked from miles 
around to see him. It is estimated that during this tour 
more than thirty million persons saw him — more than 
have ever looked upon another man. 

“Good Will Ambassador.” — At tile invitation of the 
President of Mexico, Lindbergh flew in the Spirit of 
St. Louis , in the winter of 1927, to Mexico City, where 


418 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


he took the President and the ex-President of Mexico 
for their first ride in an aeroplane. From Mexico City 
he continued (1927-28) his good will tour to Central 
America, parts of South America, and some of the islands 
of the West Indies. 

Why Our Hearts Warm to Lindbergh. — We admire 
Lindbergh for his courage, his daring, and his skill, 
but we admire him more for his level-headedness, his 
modesty, and his unselfishness. Although he has re¬ 
ceived plaudits of the world such as no other man 
has ever received, he remains the unassuming youth with 
the winning smile; although he has performed perhaps 
the greatest single feat of history, he has never boasted 
of it — in speaking of the flight he always says “we,” 
so that his plane might have the same credit as himself; 
although he could have made for himself many millions 
of dollars by commercializing his feat, he prefers that 
whatever benefit should come from what he has done 
should be for the good of aviation. Our hearts warm 
to Lindbergh for in him we see the highest ideals of 
the spirit of American youth. 

Other Achievements of Byrd 

Byrd’s Trans-Atlantic Flight. — At the time that 
Lindbergh made his flight to Paris, Byrd was at Roose¬ 
velt Field preparing to make a trans-Atlantic flight for 
scientific purposes. He wished to make the flight under 
conditions as nearly as possible like conditions as they 
must be for aeroplane voyages over the ocean to become 
a common method of travel. For this reason he gave, 


OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS OF BYRD 


419 


in building and equipping his plane, his chief thought to 
safety. To prove that a plane can carry passengers 
over the ocean, he carried three companions, G. 0 . 
Noville, Bert Acosta, and Bernt Balchen, all experienced 
aviators, and, to make observations of the weather, he 
carried many scientific instruments. All the things that 
Byrd did to make a flight across the Atlantic under the 
conditions necessary for every-day flying to Europe 
made the plane very heavy. When loaded it weighed 
about 15,000 pounds. 

The “America” Over the Ocean. — Byrd’s plane, the 
America , took off in the rain early in the morning of 
June 29, 1927. Byrd had selected unfavorable-weather 
because planes to make flights over the ocean on regular 
schedules must be ready to cope with different kinds of 
air conditions. 

During the night fog so enveloped the America and 
rain and sleet so beat upon it that, for two thousand 
miles and for nearly nineteen hours, the flyers could see 
neither land nor sea, nor sky nor ship: yet, during 
all that nerve racking time Byrd was in communi¬ 
cation with the outside world through his radio set. 
When storms made it impossible for him to take bear¬ 
ings he learned his position through exchange of radio 
messages with ships. 

Over France, — As the America arrived over Paris 
early in the second night another terrific storm made 
such intense darkness that Byrd could not see below 
him the lights that should have guided him to the 
landing field. He knew that for him to make in the 


420 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


darkness a haphazard descent on land meant certain 
death and that the only thing for him now to do was 
to drop down into the sea. He turned his plane and 
steered for a lighthouse which he remembered passing 
when over the coast of France. Reaching the lighthouse, 
he came down in the ocean a short way from shore. 
The plane was wrecked but the men extricated them¬ 
selves, and, inflating a rubber raft that the plane carried, 
rowed to land. The lighthouse keeper and his wife 
kindly gave shelter to the weary and drenched, but un¬ 
daunted, aviators. 

Result of Byrd’s Trans-Atlantic Flight. — Although 
Byrd did not land at Paris as he had designed, his trans- 
Atlantic flight was a success. He not only proved that 
a heavy, passenger-carrying aeroplane can make the 
voyage over the ocean, but he brought back observations 
of weather conditions that are of the greatest value to 
aviation. 

Reception in Europe and America. — Byrd and his 
companions were given a royal welcome in Paris. On 
their return to New York another great welcome greeted 
them — the second triumphant homecoming that the 
city has given Byrd. 

Byrd Off for the South Pole. — In the autumn of 
1928 Byrd sailed from the United States, at the head of 
a party of eighty, including eminent American scientists, 
for the purpose of exploring the Antarctic region — an 
expanse of ice the area of which equals the combined 
area of the United States and Mexico, and in the center 
of which is the South Pole. This ice field lies 10,000 


OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS OF BYRD 


421 


miles from the United States and 2,300 miles from New 
Zealand, the nearest land of civilization. No man, nor 
beast, nor bird lives in the region where it is common 
for the temperature to be sixty degrees below zero. 

While making explorations, which will be done mainly 
in aeroplanes, Byrd will attempt a flight to the South 
Pole. Desolate as is this broad expanse of ice, Byrd 
hopes to bring back from it much information that will 
be of value to science. 

A Stupendous Undertaking. — The explorers left the 
United States with the intention of staying, if necessary, 
two years in the Antarctic region. The preparations re¬ 
quired for an expedition that may stay so long in a region 
so cold and barren cost nearly a million dollars. Hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of dollars were spent for food supplies 
alone. The commissary carried 28 tons of meat, 12, 
tons of potatoes, 17 tons of flour and 4,500 pounds of 
coffee. Food for the one hundred sled dogs taken on the 
expedition cost eight thousand dollars. The scientific 
instruments cost forty thousand dollars. So complete 
is the equipment that three ships were needed to carry 
the expedition to the rim of the ice field. 

A Ready-Made Village on Ice. — The ships carried 
portable houses, made especially for protection against 
the bitter cold. These houses were planned to be 
erected on the ice, making a little village, laid out in 
streets and lighted by electricity. In this village in the 
ice bound, far-away region — the farthest south of the/ 
earth — powerful radios were provided to keep the men 
in touch with home. During the weather too bad for 


422 


CONQUERING THE AIR 


exploration or for use of the radio it was arranged that 
they might while away many a weary hour with phono¬ 
graphs or motion pictures or with a library of 2,000 
volumes. 

Truly has it been said that “in magnitude of prepara¬ 
tion, the expedition is without doubt the most stupen¬ 
dous undertaking in the history of exploration.” 

Byrd’s Place in Aviation. —■ No better estimate of 
Byrd, the man, and of his work for the advancement of 
aviation, may be found than in the words of Byrd’s 
superior officer, the Admiral at the head of the aviation 
bureau of the Navy: “I am glad we have Byrd. It is 
his idealism, modesty, unflagging industry and devotion 
to the scientific advance of flying that combine to make 
him so immeasurably valuable to aviation today.” 

QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 

f 1. How has aviation advanced since the World War? 2. Tell about 
the dirigible. The aeroplane. 

3. Who were “Torn, Dick and Harry” Byrd? 4. What is to be said 
about “Dick’s” boyhood? 5. Tell about his life at Annapolis and in 
the Navy. 6. Why was he retired from the Navy? 7. How did he 
become an aviator? 8. Why is Byrd so useful to the science of avia¬ 
tion? 9. Describe his exploration of the North Polar region. 
10. Tell about his flight to the North Pole. 

11. Relate the story of Lindbergh’s early life. 12. Describe his 
“barnstorming” trips. 13. How did he later get the best of training 
in aviation? 14. When did he first think of making the flight to Paris? 
15. Relate the story of the flight. How the people felt about it and how 
he met the dangers he encountered. ^16. Tell of the ovations given 
Lindbergh in Europe and in America. 17. Tell of his later flights. 

18. Describe Byrd’s trans-Atlantic flight. 19. Why was it a success? 
20. Tell all about Byrd’s expedition to the South Pole. 


LIST OF PRESIDENTS 


1789-1797 George Washington of Virginia 
1797-1801 John Adams of Massachusetts 
1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson of Virginia 
1809—1817 James Madison of Virginia 
1817-1825 James Monroe of Virginia 
1825-1829 John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts 
1829-1837 Andrew Jackson of Tennessee 
1837-1841 Martin Van Buren of New York 
1841 William H. Harrison of Ohio 

1841-1845 John Tyler of Virginia 
1845-1849 James K. Polk of Tennessee 

1849- 1850 Zachary Taylor of Louisiana 

1850- 1853 Millard Fillmore of New York 

1853-1857 Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire 
1857-1861 James Buchanan of Pennsylvania 
1861-1865 Abraham Lincoln of Illinois 
1865-1869 Andrew Johnson of Tennessee 
1869-1877 Ulysses S. Grant of Illinois 
1877-1881 Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio 
1881 James A. Garfield of Ohio 

1881-1885 Chester A. Arthur of New York 
1885-1889 Grover Cleveland of New York 
1889-1893 Benjamin Harrison of Indiana 
1893-1897 Grover Cleveland of New York 
1897-1901 William McKinley of Ohio 
1901-1909 Theodore Roosevelt of New York 
1909—1913 William H. Taft of Ohio 
1913-1921 Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey 
1921-1923 Warren G. Harding of Ohio 
1923-1929 Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts 
1929- Herbert Hoover of California 


423 


DATE OF ADMISSION OF THE STATES 


1. Delaware. 

2. Pennsylvania 

3. New Jersey . . . 

4. Georgia. 

5. Connecticut 

6. Massachusetts 

7. Maryland .... 

8. South Carolina 

9. New Hampshire 

10. Virginia . 

11. New York 

12. North Carolina 

13. Rhode Island . . 

14. Vermont . 

15. Kentucky 

16. Tennessee . 

17. Ohio . 

18. Louisiana . .. . . 

19. Indiana . 

20. Mississippi . 

21. Illinois . 

22. Alabama . 

23. Maine . 

24. Missouri . 

25. Arkansas . 

26. Michigan . 

27. Florida . 

28. Texas . 

29. Iowa . 

30. Wisconsin . 

31. California. 

32. Minnesota . 

33. Oregon . 

34. Kansas . 

35. West Virginia . 

36. Nevada . 

37. Nebraska . 

38. Colorado . 

39. North Dakota 

40. South Dakota . 

41. Montana . 

42. Washington . . . 

43. # Idaho . 

44. Wyoming . 

45. Utah. . 

46. Oklahoma. 

47. New Mexico- 

48. Arizona. 


Dec. 

7, 1787 

Dec. 

12, 1787 

Dec. 

18, 1787 

Jan. 

2, 1788 

Jan. 

9, 1788 

Feb. 

6, 1788 

April 

28, 1788 

May 

23, 1788 

June 

21, 1788 

June 

25, 1788 

July 

26, 1788 

Nov. 

21, 1789 

May 

29, 1790 

. March 

4, 1791 

. June 

1, 1792 

. June 

1, 1796 

. Feb. 

19, 1803 

. April 

8, 1812 

. Dec. 

11, 1816 

. Dec. 

10, 1817 

. Dec. 

3, 1818 

. Dec. 

14, 1819 

. March 15, 1820 

. Aug. 

10, 1821 

. June 

15, 1836 

. Jan. 

26, 1837 

. March 

3, 1845 

. Dec. 

29, 1845 

. Dec. 

28, 1846 

. May 

29, 1848 

. Sept. 

9, 1850 

. May 

11, 1858 

. Feb. 

14, 1859 

. Jan. 

29, 1861 

. June 

19, 1863 

. Oct. 

31, 1864 

. March 

1, 1867 

. Aug. 

1, 1876 

. Nov. 

3, 1889 

. Nov. 

3, 1889 

. Nov. 

8, 1889 

. Nov. 

11, 1889 

. July 

3, 1890 

. July 

10, 1890 

. Jan. 

4, 1896 

. Nov. 

16, 1907 

. Jan. 

6, 1912 

. Feb. 

14,1912 


424 



















































PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 


Key to Symbols 


a. as in bay, 
a as in bat, 
a as in Mre, 
a as in farm, 
a as in solace, 
a as in cask, 
a as in walk, 
e as in be, 
e as in bet, 
e as in there, 


e as in her, 
e as in they, 
i as in pie, 
l as in bit, 

5 as in go, 

6 as in got, 

6 as in c6rn, 
oo as in moon, 
u as in tune, 
u as in but. 


e represents a sound similar to, but shorter than, short u—sometimes 
almost silent, 
g hard as in get. 
n as in ink, hunger, 
ow has the sound of ow in how. 


Alamo, a'la-mo 
Andr6, an'dra or an'dri 
Antietam, an-te'tam 

Bahama, ba-ha/ma 
Balboa, bal-bo'a 
Beauregard, bo're-gard' 

Bienville, be'an-vel' 

Biloxi, bil-ox'i 

Bon Homme Richard, bo-nom f re- 
sharr' 

Buena Yista, bwa'na ves'ta 

Cabot, kaVot 
Cartier, kar'tya' 

Cerro Gordo, ser'ro gOr'do 
Champlain, sham'plan' 


Chateau-Thierry, sha-tS'tye-re' 
Chippewa, chip'pe-wa 
Cibola, se'bo-la 

Coligny, Gaspard de, gas-parr de 
ko-len'ye 

Concord, konk'urd 
Coronado, ko-ro-na/tho 
Corsair, kdr'sar 

Duquesne, du'kan' 

Foch, f5sh 

Genet, zhe-na' 

Gourges, Dominique de, do'me'nek 
de goorg 
Guam, gwam 


425 



426 


PRONOUNCING VOCABULARY 


Haiti, ha'ti 
Hawaii, ha-wi'e 
Houston, hu'ston 
Huguenot, liu'ge-not 

Iberville, e'ber-vel' 

Iroquois, ir-o-kwoi' 

Jesuit, jez'u-it 
Joffre, zhoff 
Joliet, zho'le-a 

La Espagnola, la es-pan-yo'la 
La Fayette, la'fa'yet' 

La Salle, Robert de, ro'bairr de la 
sal' 

Magellan, ma-jel'an 
Manila, ma-nil'a 
Marconi, mar-ko'ne 
Marquette, mar'ket' 

Massasoit, mas'sa-soit' 

Menendez de Aviles, Pedro, pe'dro 
ma-nen'deth da-a-vee'les 
Monterey, mon-te-ra' 

Moultrie, mool'tri 

New Orleans, nu or'le-anz 
Nina, nen'ya 


Palos, pa'los 

Pamlico, pam'li-ko 

Pascua Florida, pas-cwa flor'i-da 

Pequot, pe'kwot 

Philippine, fil'ip-in 

Pinta, pen'ta 

Pocahontas, po-k£i-hon'tas 
Ponce de Leon, pon'tha da la-on' 
Porto Rico, por'to re'ko 
Powhatan, pow-ha-tan' 

Pueblo, pweb'lo 

Raleigh, raw'll 
Ribault, Jean, zh5n re'bo' 
Roosevelt, roz'e-velt 

Samoa, sa-m5'a 
Santa Maria, san'ta ma-re'a 
Santiago, san'te a'go 
Schley, sli 
Sevier, se-ver' 

Stuyvesant, sti've-sant 

Tecumseh, te-kum'seh 
Tomochichi, tom'o-che J chi 

Valladolid, val'ya-tho-leth' 
Vincennes, vin-senz' 


Oglethorpe, o'g’l-thorp 


Wampum, wom'pum 


INDEX 


Abraham, Plains of, 173. 

Adams, John, 210. 

Adams, Samuel, 188-197. 

Aeroplane, the, 351 - 353 - 
Agriculture, 125, 261, 291, 338, 340- 

341, 342-343, 345-346. 

Alabama, 38, 153, 251, 253, 308, 346. 
Alamo, battle of, 276. 

Alaska, 283. 

Allies, the, 387. 

American Women, 367-385. 

Andre, Major, 207. 

Andros, Sir Edmund, 138. 

Anthony, Susan B., 377-379. 
Antietam, battle of, 324. 

Anti-Saloon League, the, 382. 
Appomattox, 334. 

Argonne Forest, battle of, 397. 
Arizona, 42, 283, 285. 

Arkansas, 40, 242, 30S. 

Armistice, the, 399. 

Arnold, Benedict, 206, 207. 

Atlanta, 332. 

Automobile, the, 355. 

Aviation, 404-422. 

Aviles, Pedro Menendez de, 49. 

Bacon’s Rebellion, 136. 

Bahama Islands, the, 18, 29. 

Balboa, Vasco Nunez de, 30-32. 
Baltimore, 267, 271, 296. 

Baltimore, Lord, 96-99. 

Barton, Clara, 382-384. 

Bean, William, 178. 

Beauregard, P. G. T., 321, 322. 

Bell, Alexander Graham, 350-351. 
Berkeley, Sir William, 136. 

Bessemer, Henry, 338. 

Bienville, 150-15 7. 

Biloxi, 151. 

Birmingham, 346. 

Bonaparte, Napoleon, 240, 241. 


Bon Homme Richard , the, 219. 

Boone, Daniel, 178-184. 

Boonesboro, 181, 183. 

Boston, 85, 129, 138, 186, 192, 193, 
194, 196, 201, 296. 

Boston Massacre, the, 193. 

Boston Tea Party, the, 194. 
Braddock, Edward, 165-168. 
Bradford, William, 79-84. 
Brandywine, battle of, 204. 

Buena Vista, battle of, 281. 

Bunker Hill, battle of, 200. 

Burnside, A. E., 326. 

Burgoyne, surrender of, 206. 

Byrd, Richard E., 404-410, 420-422. 

Cabot, John, 22-24. 

Cabot, Sebastian, 23. 

Cahoka, 218. 

Calhoun, John C., 301-306. 
California, 283, 298-299, 305, 343. 
Calvert, Leonard, 97-99. 

Camden, battle of, 225. 

Campbell, William, 226. 

Canada, 23, 51, 142, 159, 175, 245, 248. 
Canals, 266, 289. 

“Carpet-bag” Governments, 344-345. 
Cartier, Jacques, 46. 

Carver, John, 80. 

Catholic Missionaries, 142. 

Catholics, the, 3, 47, 96. 

Cerro Gordo, battle of, 282. 
Champlain, Samuel de, 51-55. 
Chancellorsville, battle of, 326. 
Charles I, of England, 84, 96, 100. 
Charles II, of England, 100, 113, 118, 
136, 137 - 

Charles V, of Spain, 33. 

Charles IX, of France, 48, 50. 
Charleston, 101, 102, 131, 186, 194, 
200, 220, 222, 321. 

Charlotte, 227. 


427 



428 


INDEX 


Chateau Thierry, battle of, 397. 
Chattanooga, battle of, 332. 

Chicago, 291, 340. 

Chilton, Mary, 367. 

Church of England, the, 79, 116. 
Cibola, the seven cities of, 41-43. 
Clark, Elijah, 223. 

Clark, George Rogers, 217-219. 

Clark, William, 242-244. 

Clay, Henry, 301-306. 

Clermont, the, 263. 

Cleveland, 340. 

Clinton, General, 207, 222. 

Cold Harbor, battle of, 333. 

Coligny, Gaspard de, 48. 

Colombia, United States of, 365. 
Colonial Governments, 186. 

Colorado, 242, 283, 341. 

Columbus, Christopher, 12-22. 
Commerce, 126, 186. 

Concord, 198. 

Confederate States, the, 308, 321-336. 
Confederation, the, 128-134. 
Congregational Church, the, 86. 
Connecticut, 87-91, 138. 

Constitution of the United States, the, 
2337235. 

Constitution, the, 246. 

Continental Congress, the, 195, 200, 
201, 204, 210. 

Coolidge, Calvin, 403. 

Cornwallis, Lord, 223, 225, 228-230. 
Coronado, Francisco de, 41-43. 
Corsairs, the, 45. 

Cotton gin, the, 259-261, 273-275. 
Cowpens, battle of, 228. 

Cox, James M., 401. 

Crime, punishment for, 132. 

Croatoan, 63. 

Cromwell, Oliver, 100. 

Cuba, 18, 357-362. 

Cumberland Road, the, 289. 

Dare, Virginia, 62. 

Darien, 30-32. 

Davie, William R., 223. 

Davis, Jefferson, 308, 315-320, 321. 


Declaration of Independence, the, 201, 
210-211. 

Delaware, 112, 124. 

Delaware, Lord, 70. 

De Soto, Hernando, 37-41. 

Detroit, 245. 

Dewey, George, 360. 

Dirigible, the, 351. 

Drake, Sir Francis, 56-60. 

Dustin, Hannah, 371-372. 

Edison, Thomas A., 346-350. 
Education, 131-132, 370. 

Electricity, 214, 339, 348. 

Electric light, the, 348. 

Elizabeth, queen of England, 56, 60. 
Erie Canal, the, 289. 

Ferdinand, king of Spain, 14, 16, 20. 
Ferguson,•jColonel, 226, 228. 

Fishing industry, the, 124. 

Florida, 30, 37, 38, 48, 151, 177, 253, 
254, 308. 

Foch, Ferdinand, 397. 

Forts, Caroline, 48; Donelson, 330; 
Duquesne, 163, 166, 168; Fredrica, 
108; Good Hope, 87; Moultrie, 
220; Necessity, 163; Pitt, 169; 
Sumter, 321. 

Franklin, Benjamin, 211-215. 
Frederica, 108. 

Fredericksburg, battle of, 326. 

French Alliance, the, 206, 215. 

Fulton, Robert, 263-266. 

“ Gadsden Purchase,” the, 285. 

Gage, General, 196, 200. 

Gama, Vasco da, 32. 

Gasoline, 339. 

Gates, Horatio, 206, 225. 

Genoa, 6, 12. 

George I, of England, 103. 

George II, of England, 104. 

George III, of England, 188, 193, 203. 
Georgia, 38, 104-109, 124, 194, 222, 
253, 308, 322. 

Gettysburg, battle of, 326. 

Gist, Christopher, 161, 162. 



INDEX 


429 


Gourges, Dominique de, 50. 

“ Grand Model,” the, 102. 

Grant, Ulysses S., 328-336. 

Greene, Nathanael, 228, 229. 

Guam, 361, 362. 

Guilford Courthouse, battle of, 228. 

Haiti, 18, 20, 28. 

Half King, 162, 164. 

Hamilton, Alexander, 236. 

Harding, Warren G., 401, 403. 
Harrison, William Henry, 246-248. 
Harrod, James, 178. 

Hart, Nancy, 376. 

Hartford, 89. 

Harvard College, 132. 

Hawaiian Islands, the, 363. 

Henry VII, of England, 22. 

Henry, Patrick, 189-197, 209, 217. 
Hessians, the, 203. 

Hindenburg line, the, 398. 
Hispaniola, 18, 20, 28. 

Holland, John Philip, 354 ~ 355 - 
Honolulu, 363. 

Hooker, Joseph, 326. 

Hooker, Thomas, 88-91. 

Hoover, Herbert C., 403. 

Horseshoe Bend, battle of, 251. 
Houston, Sam, 277-280. 

Howe, Elias, 272-273. 

Howe, General, 201, 202, 204. 
Hudson, Henry, 74-76. 

Huguenots, the, 48-49, 125. 

Iberville, 150-154. 

Idaho, 285. 

Illinois, 142, 219, 340. 

Illinois country, the, 217. 
Immigration, 292-294. 

Indentured servants, 127, 186. 
India, 6, 8, 9, 13, 32. 

Indiana, 219. 

Indians, the, 25-27. 

Intemperance, 370, 380. 

“ Invincible Armada,” the, 58. 
Iowa, 242. 

Iroquois, the, 53. 


Irrigation, 343. 

Isabella, queen of Spain, 14-16, 20, 21. 

Jackson, Andrew, 248-254, 297, 302. 
Jackson, T. J. (Stonewall), 326. 
Jacksonville, 48. 

James I, of England, 64, 65, 72, 79, 80. 
James II, of England, 113, 138. 
Jamestown, 65, 98, 126. 

Jefferson, Thomas, 208-211, 239-244. 
Johnston, A. S., 330. 

Johnston, J. E., 322. 

Joffre, Joseph J. B., 388. 

Joliet, 144. 

Jones, John Paul, 219-220. 

Kansas, 42, 242. 

Kaskaskia, 218. 

Kentucky, 177,178,179, 252, 286,346. 
King Philip, 139. 

King’s Mountain, battle of, 226. 

Lafayette, Marquis de, 205. 

Lake Erie, battle of, 246. 

La Salle, 146-150. 

League of Nations, the, 399-401. 

Lee, Robert E., 322-328, 332-336. 
Legislature, the first in America, 71. 
Lewis, Meriwether, 242-244. 
Lexington, battle of, 198. 

Lincoln, Abraham, 307, 308-315, 321. 
Lindbergh, Charles A., 411-418. 
Lisbon, 13. 

London Company, the, 65, 72. 

“Long Hunters,” the, 178. 

Louis XIV, of France, 148, 150. 
Louisiana, 148-157, 159, 175, 177, 
240-244, 251, 308, 346. 

Lucas, Eliza, 372-373- 
Lusitania , the, 391. 

McClellan, George B., 322, 324. 
McCormick, Cyrus H., 261-263. 
McKinley, William, 359. 

Machinery, 257, 338-339- 
Madison, James, 245. 

Magellan, Ferdinand, 32-36. 

Magna Carta, the, 4. 

Maine , the, 358. 




430 


INDEX 


Manassas, battles of, 322, 324. 
Manufacturing, 124, 257, 259, 295- 
296, 338-339, 340-341, 346 . 

Manila, battle of, 360. 

Marconi, Guglielmo, 355. 

Marion, Francis, 223, 224. 

Marne, battles of the, 387, 397. 
Marquette, Father, 142-146. 
Maryland, 96-99, 133, 324. 
Massachusetts, 79-87, 133, 137, 103, 
194, 195, 196, 198. 

Massasoit, 82, 92. 

Masses, influence of the, 296-297. 
Mavilla, 39. 

Mayflower, the, 80. 

Mayflower Compact, the, 81. 

Meade, George G., 326. 

Mediterranean Sea, 6, 8, 12. 

Mexico, 37, 41, 276, 280-283. 
Michigan, 219. 

Minnesota, 219, 242. 

“Minutemen,” the, 196. 

Mississippi, 38, 151, 308, 315, 3 * 7 - 
“Mississippi Rifles,” the, 316. 
Mississippi River, 40, 144, 147, 148, 
151, 240-241. 

Missouri, 242, 274. 

Missouri Compromise, the, 274. 
Mobile, 153. 

Moluccas, the, 33. 

Monmouth, battle of, 207. 

Monroe, James, 255. 

Monroe Doctrine, the, 255. 

Montana, 242. 

Montcalm, Louis de, 169-175. 
Monterey, 281. 

Montgomery, 318. 

Morgan, Daniel, 206, 228. 

Morse, S. F. B., 270-272. 

Motion picture, the, 348. 

Moultrie, William, 220. 

Napoleon I, 240, 241. 

Narragansetts, the, 93. 

Navigation and Trade, laws of, 134. 
Nebraska, 42, 242. 

Nevada, 283, 341. 


New Amsterdam, 78, no. 

New England Confederation, the, 137. 
Newfoundland, 159. 

New France, 51. 

New Hampshire, 87. 

New Haven, 129. 

New Jersey, 117, 203. 

New Mexico, 42, 283, 285. 

New Netherland, 74-78, 110-114. 

New Orleans, 153, 175, 240, 241, 251. 
New Orleans, battle of, 251. 

Newport, 129. 

New York, 74-78, 110-114, 124, 186, 
192, 194, 202, 207, 296. 

North Carolina, 60-64, 100-114, 124, 
140, 228, 229, 308, 322, 346. 

North Dakota, 242. 

Nueces River, 281. 

Nullification, 302. 

Oglethorpe, James Edward, 104-109. 
Ohio, 219, 340. 

Ohio River, 146, 159. 

Ohio Valley, 159, 161-169, 175. 
Oklahoma, 242, 346. 

Oolooteka, 278, 279. 

Oregon, 283-285. 

Pacific Ocean, 31, 32, 34. 

Palos, 16, 19. 

Panama Canal, the, 364-366. 

Panama, Isthmus of, 30-32, 298, 364- 
366. 

Parliament, 3, 188, 189, 193, 194. 
Partisan Warfare, 223-225. 
“Patroons,” the, 78. 

Penn, William, 115-121. 

Pennsylvania, 115-121, 124, 133, 203, 
326, 340- # 

Pennsylvania, University of, 214. 
Pensacola, 254. 

Pequots, the, 90, 93. 

Perry, Oliver Hazard, 246-248. 
Persecution, religious, 47-48, 79, 84, 
92, 96, 115, 132. 

Pershing, John J., 395. 

Petersburg, siege of, 334. 



INDEX 


431 


Philadelphia, 119, 186, 194, 195, 204, 
207, 234, 296. 

Philip II, of Spain, 58. 

Philippine Islands, the, 35, 360, 362. 
Phonograph, the, 348. 

Pickens, Andrew, 223. 

Pickett, George E., 326. 

Pierce, Franklin, 317. 

Pilgrims, the, 79-84. 

Pitcher, Molly, 374 ~ 375 - 
Pitt, William, 170. 

Pittsburgh, 173, 340. 

Plymouth, 80-84. 

Pocahontas, 67. 

Ponce de Leon, 28-30. 

“Poor Richard’s Almanac,” 213. 

Pope, John, 324. 

Population, 122, 185, 286, 290, 295- 
296, 338 , 34 L 343 - 
Porto Rico, 361, 362. 

Port Royal, 101. 

Powhatan, 67. 

Prince Henry, the Navigator, 9-10. 
Princeton, battle of, 203. 

Prisons, 104, 370. 

Proclamation of Emancipation, the, 
313 - 

Proctor, General, 247. 

Prohibition, 370, 380-382. 

Providence, 93. 

Puritans, the, 79-94, 100, 129, 133. 

Quakers, the, 115-121, 133. 

Quebec, 51, 170. 

Railroad, the, 266-270, 290, 341-342. 
Raleigh, Sir Walter, 60-65. 

Ranchman, the, 342. 

Reaper, the, 261-264, 291. 
Reconstruction, 344-345. 

Red Cross, the, 369, 383-384. 
Redemptioners, 127, 186. 

Reformation, the, 46. 

Renaissance, the, 5. 

Rhode Island, 91-94, 137, 138, 234. 
Ribault, Jean, 49. 

Richmond, 136, 196, 322, 324. 


Roanoke Island, 61, 62. 

Rolfe, John, 68. 

Roosevelt, Theodore, 365-366. 

St. Augustine, 48, 102. 

St. Louis, 243, 290. 

St. Marks, 254. 

St. Mary’s River, 99. 

St. Mihiel, battle of, 397. 

St. Simon’s Island, 108. 

Salem, 84, 133. 

Salvation Army, the, 369. 

Samoan Islands, the, 363. 

Samoset, 82. 

San Jacinto, battle of, 277. 

Santa Anna, 276, 277, 282, 283. 
Santiago, battles of, 360. 

Saratoga, battles of, 206. 

Savannah, 105, 222, 265. 

Savannah, the, 265. 

Schley, W. S., 361. 

Scott, Winfield, 281, 282-283. 

“Sea of Darkness,” the, 8, 13. 
Secession, 274, 302, 307-308. 

Sevier, John, 227. 

Sewing machine, the, 272-273. 

Shafter, W. R., 360. 

Sharpsburg, battle of, 324. 

Shelby, Isaac, 227. 

Sherman, W. T., 332. 

Shiloh, battle of, 330. 

Ship Island, 151. 

Sims, William S., 395. 

Slavery, 126, 186, 261, 273-275, 291, 

299, 304-305- 
Smith, John, 65-71. 

Social life, in early colonial times, 
128-134; in later colonial times, 
185-188. 

South Carolina, 100-104, 124, 140, 
220, 222, 302, 308. 

South Dakota, 242. 

Spice Island, the, 33, 36. 
Spottsylvania, battle of, 333. 

Stamp Act, the, 188-193. 

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, 377 - 379 - 
States’ Rights, 302. 



432 


INDEX 


Steamboat, the, 263, 290. 

Steam engine, the, 258. 

Stephenson, George, 267. 

Stuyvesant, Peter, 110-114. 
Submarine, the, 354 - 355 , 390-392, 394 - 
Sumter, Thomas, 223, 224. 

Tarlton, Colonel, 228. 

Taylor, Zachary, 281-282. 

Tecumseh, 247, 248. 

Telegraph, the, 270-272, 355. 
Telephone, the, 35°~35 I - 
Tennessee, 177, 178, 250, 251, 252, 
308, 346. 

Texas, 148, 276-277, 280-281, 283, 
308, 346. 

Thames River, battle of, 247. 
Thanksgiving Day, 82. 

Tomochichi, 106. 

Tories, the, 202, 222, 226. 

Traders, the French, 142, 177. 

Travel, modes of, 130, 187, 266-270, 
289-290, 341-342. 

Trenton, battle of, 203. 

Turks, the, 13. 

Tuscaloosa, 39. 

Tuscaroras, the, 139. 

Valladolid, 21. 

Valley Forge, 205. 

Venice, 6. 

Vera Cruz, 282. 

Vespucius, Americus, 22. 

Vicksburg, siege of, 331. 

Vincennes, 218. 

Virginia, 61, 65-73, 124, 126, 133, 136, 
191, 195, 196, 308. 

Virgin Islands, the, 363. 

Wake Island, 363. 

Wampanoags, the, 82. 

Wars, Pequot, 90; King Philip, 139; 
Tuscarora, 139; French and Indian, 
159-175; Revolutionary, 198-231; 
War of 1812, 245-256; Mexican, 
280-283; War of Secession, 321- 
336; Spanish American, 359-362; 
World War, 386-399. 


Washington (city), 248, 271. 
Washington (state), 285. 

Washington, George, 159-169, 198- 
208, 230, 231, 235-238. 

Washington and Lee University, 335. 
Watauga, 178. 

Watt, James, 258. 

Webster, Daniel, 301-306. 

West Point, 209, 315. 

West Virginia, 340. 

Wethersfield, 88, 90. 

Whigs, the, 202, 222. 

White, John, 62-64. 

Whitney, Eli, 259-261. 

Wilderness, battle of, 333. 

Willard, Frances E., 380-382. 

William and Mary, of England, 138. 
William and Mary College, 132, 208. 
Williams, Roger, 91-94. 

Williamsburg, 189, 208, 217. 
Wilmington, 229. 

Wilson, Woodrow, 389, 391, 392, 398, 
399-401. 

Windsor, 88, 90. 

Winthrop, John, 84-87. 

Wireless telegraph, 355. 

Wisconsin, 219. 

Witchcraft, 133. 

Wolfe, James, 169-175. 

Woman’s Christian Temperance 
Union, the, 380-382. 

Woman suffrage, 370, S 77 S 79 - 
Women, the first to come to America, 
72; their place in American His¬ 
tory, 367-371. 

Wright, Orville, 35i~353- 
Wright, Wilbur, 35 I “ 353 . 

Wyoming, 242, 283. 

Yale College, 132. 

Yorktown, 229-230. 

Young Men’s Christian Association, 
the, 369. 

Young Women’s Christian Association, 
the, 369. 

Zane, Elizabeth, 375-376. 





































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Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2010 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-2111 









































































